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Israel frees West Bank detainees Israel frees West Bank detainees
(40 minutes later)
Israel has begun releasing about 90 Palestinian prisoners in what is being seen as a bid to boost support for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Israel has freed almost 60 Palestinian detainees, most of them members of Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah faction.
The move, described by Israel as a goodwill gesture, is the second release of prisoners in recent months. Many went to the Palestinian Authority West Bank headquarters in Ramallah to be reunited with family and friends.
About 57 people, mostly members of the Fatah party, were taken from Ketziot jail in south Israel to the West Bank. Palestinian officials have welcomed the move but called on Israel to free thousands more Palestinian prisoners.
Mr Abbas is due to meet Israeli PM Ehud Olmert on Wednesday, ahead of a US-backed peace conference in November. Though Monday's releases fell short of the 90 expected, they are seen as an Israeli attempt to boost Mr Abbas at the expense of the rival Hamas faction.
About 30 Gaza-based detainees were kept in jail because Israeli President Shimon Peres had not signed their pardons.
We consider this... a humiliation for the leadership in Ramallah that considers this humble number a great achievement Hamas official Muhammad Mudhoun
Mr Peres's office did not explain his action. Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip in June this year, while Fatah remains in power in the West Bank.
The BBC's Aleem Maqbool in Ramallah notes that, according to figures from the UN, the number of detainees being released is less than the average number of Palestinians detained by Israeli forces each month.
Delays
More than 10,000 Palestinians are held in Israeli jails, including hundreds being detained without charge.
A boy was shot by Israeli troops as relatives waited near Gaza border
All 90 West Bank and Gaza-based detainees were members of Fatah and smaller secular factions who had not been jailed for lethal attacks on Israelis.
Mr Peres was not required to pardon the West Bank-based prisoners, because the area is under direct Israeli military control and the releases could be authorised by an Israeli general.
After the delay of several hours, the West Bank detainees received an emotional welcome from relatives and supporters at Mr Abbas's compound in Ramallah, the Muqataa.
In Gaza, hundreds of Palestinians waited in vain for the return of their relatives.
Israeli troops shot and injured a 14-year-old boy when crowds began approaching a no-man's land separating Gaza and Israel, witnesses said.
Hamas congratulated the prisoners on their release, but called the scale of the move insignificant.
"We consider this... a humiliation for the leadership in Ramallah that considers this humble number a great achievement," said Muhammad Mudhoun, a senior aid in Gaza to the leader of the Hamas government there, Ismail Haniya.
Mr Abbas is expected to meet Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert later this week for more preparatory talks ahead of a Middle East peace conference scheduled for November.
Officials said the pair would be working on a peace deal to present at the summit, at which delegates from 36 countries are expected to meet in the US state of Maryland.Officials said the pair would be working on a peace deal to present at the summit, at which delegates from 36 countries are expected to meet in the US state of Maryland.
Mr Abbas's supporters in Fatah welcomed the prisoner release, but said more needed to be done to bolster his position in the Palestinian territories.
About 10,000 Palestinians are held in Israeli jails, including hundreds being held without charge.
Gaza hitch
The first batch of detainees were put on two windowless armoured buses with a heavy security escort set off for Beitunya checkpoint in the occupied West Bank.
A third bus was due to take detainees to Gaza but the departure was delayed after the 30 men slated for release had boarded it and were waiting to leave.
Israeli media linked the hitch to questions about the status of the government in the Gaza Strip, controlled by the Islamist Hamas movement, which Israel brands a terrorist group.
There has been no confirmation about when the Gaza batch will be released.
Correspondents say Israel has been keen to strengthen the position of Mr Abbas and his Fatah faction since Hamas won elections last year.Correspondents say Israel has been keen to strengthen the position of Mr Abbas and his Fatah faction since Hamas won elections last year.
Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip in June this year, while Fatah remains in power in the West Bank.
The BBC's Aleem Maqbool in Ramallah says, according to figures from the UN, the number of detainees being released is less than the average number of Palestinians detained by Israeli forces each month.