Gilad Shalit salutes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after prisoner exchange deal in Oct. 2011. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

The following is the tragic history of how Israel has released terrorist murderer Aladdin Al-Bazian in three different hostage exchange deals:

1. 1981 – Arrested

Aladdin Al-Bazian “was imprisoned for terrorist acts.” [Ma’ariv, May 6, 1986]

2. 1985 – Released

Al-Bazian was “released in the prisoner exchange deal with Ahmed Jibril’s organization.” [Ma’ariv, May 6, 1986]

3. 1986 – Arrested

Al-Bazian was apprehended “for the murder of Zehava Ben-Ovadia as well as for sniper attacks” [Ma’ariv May 6, 1986] and “sentenced to life in prison.” [Ma’ariv, November 5, 1986]

4. 2011 – Released

Al-Bazian was released as part of the Gilad Shalit exchange deal. [Jerusalem Post, October 19, 2011]

5. 2014 – Arrested

Al-Bazian was arrested and re-sentenced to life in prison. [Ynet, July 16, 2014]

6. 2025 – Released

Al-Bazian was released a third time in the latest hostage extortion deal. To prevent him from returning to terrorism this time, Israel expelled him to Egypt.

Note also that Israel has released many other murderers in the recent Hamas extortion deal. Most of them returned to their homes in Judea and Samaria or Gaza.

Israeli security has reported that 82% of terrorists released in the past have returned to terrorism. Israel plans to enforce tighter security measures to prevent further tragedies — but it remains to be seen how effective that will or can be.

Ephraim D. Tepler is a contributor to Palestinian Media Watch (PMW). Itamar Marcus is PMW’s Founder and Director. A version of this article originally appeared at PMW.