The reception in Ramallah for the former Jenin-based militant leader reflects his magnetic appeal. In 2021, he escaped from a maximum-security prison by digging a tunnel with a spoon

Mr. Zubeidi, who was also once a theater director, stunned Israelis and Palestinians alike when he and others broke out of jail in 2021.

Zakaria Zubeidi, whose mother and brother were killed by Israeli troops, is a symbol of resistance to some Palestinians. A man who generates extraordinarily varied responses, he was mobbed by supporters on his release from prison.

Zubeidi is a renowned terrorist responsible for the deaths of many Israelis and multiple terrorist attacks. He briefly escaped from Gilboa Prison in 2021 before authorities recove

Zakaria Zubeidi, a former leader of a Palestinian militant group jailed for attacks that killed several Israelis, is to be released Thursday as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.