Ramallah

Abbas lashed out at Hamas in furious speech to a meeting of the Palestinian Central Council in Ramallah.

A bus carrying Palestinian prisoners later arrived at a checkpoint at the Ramallah Cultural Palace, where a large crowd has gathered to celebrate their release.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society told the BBC that five of those released in the West Bank city of Ramallah were taken straight to hospital.

In Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank, buses of freed Palestinian prisoners were met by large and jubilant crowds.

After a delay of several hours, there were jubilant scenes here in Ramallah where around 60 Palestinian prisoners were freed from Israeli detention into the arms of their overjoyed loved ones.