As celebrations and tearful reunions broke out in Israel on Monday as the last 20 living hostages returned home, similar joyful scenes emerged across the Gaza Strip as buses carrying freed Palestinian prisoners entered the war-torn territory.

As part of the ceasefire deal to end the two-year war, more than 1,900 Palestinian prisoners were released around the same time as the Israeli hostages. About 1,700 of them were Palestinians detained by Israel in Gaza since the war began in October 2023, following Hamas' terrorist attack in Israel. The deal specified that none of those released on Monday were involved in the Oct. 7 attacks.

AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana

"It was an indescribable journey of suffering -- hunger, unfair treatment, oppression, torture and curses -- more than anyt

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