CARACAS, October 11, 2011 (WAFA) – President Mahmoud Abbas Tuesday welcomed the prisoners exchange deal that would free 1027 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.

He said from the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, where he arrived Tuesday, “I welcome this concluded deal, which we have been waiting for a long time.”

He expressed hope that all Palestinian prisoners would be released from Israeli jails.

Abbas also thanked Egypt for the role it played in concluding this deal.

According to the deal, Israel will release 450 prisoners next week, including 315 prisoners serving life sentences, and another 577 prisoners, including all 27 female prisoners, two months after concluding the first part of the deal.

In return, Hamas will release the Israeli soldier its armed groups had captured in a cross border raid over five years ago.

M.S.