HELD JERUSALEM: To Palestinians, currently, 10,000 people in Israeli jails are political prisoners. They were held illegally by the Israeli forces.

Palestinians commemorate the Day of the Political Prisoners on 17 April, as statistics reveal one in five Palestinians have been imprisoned at some point by Israel throughout the 40 years of Israeli occupation.

Brandishing photos of their captives, thousands of Palestinians - men women and children - poured into the streets of Ramallah, Al-Khalil, Nablus and Jenin as well as in Gaza City on Tuesday, demanding the release of Palestinian prisoners from the Zionist regime's jails.

"No peace without release of all Arab and Palestinian captives from Israeli jails" read one sign in the northern city of Nablus.

This year's rally came as negotiations continued for a prisoner swap in return for Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier captured by Hamas-linked fighters in June.

Shalit's captors have demanded the release of hundreds of Palestinians, including men convicted for the murders of Israelis.

Every Monday, families of the 10,000 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel stage sit-ins at Red Cross offices in their cities to demand freedom for their loved ones.

Among those still held by Israel are almost 400 children and 120 women. Another 900 are called administrative detainees, imprisoned without facing charges or a trial date.