Ynet learned that men were imprisoned in Jericho as part of amnesty agreement between Israel, PA

Ali Waked
Published: 02.13.09, 18:33 / Israel News

Altogether 15 prisoners escaped Friday afternoon from a Palestinian Authority prison in Jericho.

Ynet has learned that most of the prisoners belonged to al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, Fatah's military wing, and were being held there as part of Israel's amnesty agreement with the PA.

Twelve of the prisoners were wanted men from different parts of the West Bank who had been imprisoned in order to maintain an amnesty agreement between Israel and the PA, which grants pardon to members of terror groups who sign contracts committing them to good behavior.

PA officials stated that the prisoners had dug a tunnel dozens of meters long underneath their cells in order to escape.