Palestinians Freed By The Hundreds

Israel announced Friday that it will release 1,200 Palestinian prisoners over the next few days, signaling its intention to swiftly honor a key commitment under the newly ratified accord with the PLO.

Palestinians called Friday’s announcement too little too late, and said Israel’s refusal to free at least two of 27 female detainees broke promises made at the negotiating table.

In a possible boost for the accord, Palestinian officials said the militant Islamic Hamas movement, which vehemently opposes peace with Israel, has tentatively agreed to stop attacking Israelis from PLO-run areas.

A four-man delegation left for Sudan to seek approval from Hamas leaders based there, officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity. If the nonviolence pact is approved, it would remove a major threat to Israel-PLO peace.