Twenty-six veteran Palestinian prisoners will be released after midnight at Ofer detention center near Beitunia in the West Bank and at Erez crossing in the northern Gaza Strip simultaneously, an official said Monday.

Undersecretary of the Palestinian ministry of prisoners affairs Ziad Abu Ein said he and minister Issa Qaraqe along with others will enter Ofer detention center at 11 p.m. to receive the West Bank prisoners.

They prisoners will then travel in Palestinian buses to the presidential compound in Ramallah for an official and public reception.

Buses will be waiting at Ofer detention center at 6 p.m. A special ambulance will also be waiting to transfer sick prisoner Naim Shawamrah from Hebron.

President Mahmoud Abbas and his prime minister Rami Hamdallah will welcome the prisoners in front of the tomb of late Palestinian president Yasser Arafat.

The president and freed prisoners will light a torch commemorating the 49th anniversary of the Palestinian revolution.

Prisoners will then leave to their hometowns for local and family celebrations.

(Ma’an – www.maannews.net)