Conflict impacts: Palestinian prisoner releases and Israeli military rehabilitation data

Data from the Ma'ta Information Center reveals that the ‘Freedom Flood’ prisoner exchange deals, conducted in three main stages, resulted in the release of 3,985 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. The first stage in November 2023 released 240 individuals, including 71 women and 169 children. The second stage in January 2025 saw 1,024 releases, including 294 individuals serving life sentences. The third stage in November 2025 released 1,967 people, primarily detainees from the Gaza Strip.

The exchange included 503 prisoners serving life sentences, representing 87% of the total number of life-sentence prisoners held. Geographically, releases were distributed across various West Bank governorates, including Nablus, Jenin, Hebron, and Jerusalem.

Concurrently, the Israeli Ministry of Defense reported that approximately 30,000 soldiers and security personnel have entered its rehabilitation system since the start of the conflict. Of these, 62% are reservists. Physical injuries include 249 head injuries, 29 cases of blindness or permanent visual impairment, and 106 amputations.

Psychological impact remains a significant long-term consequence, with 63% of injured military personnel receiving care for psychological effects such as PTSD, anxiety, and depression. The rehabilitation budget has increased by 88% to 10 billion shekels, with projections suggesting the number of beneficiaries could reach 100,000 by 2028.