Prisoners being processed for release

The Israel Prison Service began processing the 477 Palestinian security prisoners scheduled to be released in the first part of the exchange deal for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. Israel agreed to release a total of 1027 Palestinian prisoners from jails in exchange for Shalit's freedom. The swap is scheduled to take place on Tuesday. On Sunday, the prisoners were transferred from 11 prisons across the country to two prison facilities where they will undergo identification procedures and medical checks ahead of Tuesday's swap. Security forces secured the routes the buses used to transport the prisoners fearing attempts may be made to torpedo the transfer. In two months time a second batch of 550 prisoners chosen by Israel will also be released. The first batch contains 450 male prisoners and 27 females. Over half of the prisoners to be set free were serving life sentences for murdering Israelis. Some will return to homes in the West Bank and Israel, others to Gaza and others will be deported abroad as well as to Gaza. On Saturday night Justice Ministry officials brought the lists of prisoners names and their files to the residence of President Shimon Peres who is required by law to sign pardons of all the prisoners scheduled to be released. Over the next 48 hours the families of terror victims killed in attacks in which the released prisoners were involved in, have the right to appeal against their release in court.