According to the Al Qassam website Palestinians took their morning exercise around a luxury swimming pool overlooking the Mediterranean, and had breakfast at the all you can eat buffet at the 4 star Al-Mashtal hotel.
A quarter went to the West Bank, 41 went into exile in foreign countries , Turkey, Syria and Qatar, while the rest were brought to Gaza from Egypt, which mediated in years of exchange negotiations.
Gaza's Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh gave each of the 294 prisoners $2,000. The average person in Gaza lives on $2 a day.
Haniyeh has ordered that the released prisoners be given assistance to help them re-enter society, Each released convict will be given a mobile phone with a credit of 500 shekels.
More than 200,000 people gathered in Gaza City to welcome the returning criminals.
