Hundreds of Palestinians have gathered at the Erez crossing with Israel as Tel Aviv prepares to release 26 Palestinian prisoners. The release, expected in a few hours, is the third of four planned stages. All 26 of the Palestinians have spent between 19 and 28 years in Israeli prisons. 18 are from the occupied West Bank, three from the Gaza Strip, and five from East Jerusalem al-Quds. Last summer, Israel agreed to release a total of 104 long-serving Palestinian prisoners. The deal was made during the US-brokered direct talks between the Israelis and the Palestinian Authority. Despite the latest release, thousands of Palestinians are still incarcerated in Israel -- and many of them have not even been charged with any offense. Show Less >>