Mr. Zubeidi, who was also once a theater director, stunned Israelis and Palestinians alike when he and others broke out of jail in 2021.

The reception in Ramallah for the former Jenin-based militant leader reflects his magnetic appeal. In 2021, he escaped from a maximum-security prison by digging a tunnel with a spoon

Zakaria Zubeidi, A prominent leader of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian National Liberation Movement (Fatah), and a former member of Fatah’s Revolutionary Council, was released Thursday as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.

Follow NBC News live updates for the latest coverage of the ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas.

The prisoners released were all men, ranging in age from 15 to 69, with nearly two dozen serving life sentences for more egregious crimes transferred to Egypt before further deportation.

In Ramallah hundreds greet Zubeidi, who organized dozens of attacks during the Second Intifada; 66 prisonerrs sent to West Bank, 14 to East Jerusalem, 21 to Egypt and 9 to Gaza

Zakaria Zubeidi's last, fleeting, taste of freedom involved five days on the run after escaping from an Israeli maximum security prison in 2021, but on Thursday the Palestinian militant was released as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal.

Zubeidi is a renowned terrorist responsible for the deaths of many Israelis and multiple terrorist attacks. He briefly escaped from Gilboa Prison in 2021 before authorities recove

Zubeidi, 49, is one of the most high-profile of 110 prisoners, including 30 minors, to be freed in exchange for three Israelis, the Palestinian Prisoners' Club advocacy group said.

Zakaria Zubeidi, a former leader of the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, was released as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. Zubeidi,

Israel released 110 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for three Israeli hostages and five Thai workers. The release marks the third round of exchanges.

As part of the swap, Palestinian militants in Gaza freed five Thai and three Israeli hostages, handing them over to the Red Cross amid chaotic crowds.