KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip - Freed Palestinian prisoners were treated as heroes on Thursday as they tried to settle back into daily life, days after their release in exchange for a captive Israeli soldier.
One of the most prominent Palestinian among those released, Yehiyeh Sinwar, called on militants to capture more Israeli soldiers to help free thousands of other Palestinians still in Israeli jails.
Israel on Tuesday released 477 Palestinian prisoners, many of them convicted of masterminding deadly attacks, for Sgt. Gilad Schalit who was captured more than five years ago by Hamas-backed militants.
As part of the deal mediated by Egypt, Israel is to release another 550 prisoners in two month.
But already, Hamas and Israeli officials disagree over how the prisoners would be selected, suggesting the second phase of the swap could face trouble.
In Gaza, hundreds of Palestinians flocked to Sinwar's home in the crowded town of Khan Younis, many kissing his forehead and his hands in a show of respect.
Until his release, Sinwar, a founder of Hamas' military wing, served almost 25 years of four life sentences he was given for his role in the abduction and killing of two Israeli soldiers in the 1980s.
His guests included dozens of Hamas militants, elderly Palestinians and entire families who crowded onto plastic chairs set up in a nearby street.
"The overwhelming love, respect and warm welcome I am receiving makes up for ... the years I spent in jail," Sinwar said.
Like many released Palestinians, Sinwar showed no remorse for the actions that led to his imprisonment, nor any sympathy for his victims. Most Palestinians see their prisoners -- and the deadly attacks they commit -- as part of their national struggle for independence.
Sinwar said the lopsided prisoner swap demonstrated that the only way to free more Palestinians is to kidnap more Israeli soldiers -- a call echoed by top Hamas militants and most Palestinians.
"We have no other choice. Either we die in prison, or we are released this way," Sinwar told The Associated Press. "The only way to release prisoners is to kidnap more soldiers."
Though he described himself as a "fighting soldier," Sinwar said his first priority was to spend time with his family.
The mix of tough rhetoric and a yearning for a normal life was echoed by another released Palestinian -- Wafa al-Biss, a 26-year-old woman who was arrested in 2004 for trying to detonate explosives strapped to her body at an Israeli checkpoint near Gaza.
She was sentenced to 12 years. At the time, Israel had issued al-Biss a permit to be treated at an Israeli hospital for burns she suffered at home.
She said her motivation was Israel's harsh crackdown on Palestinians during a violent uprising that began a decade ago, especially the killing of civilians.
"We shall continue on this path of struggle and resistance and martyrdom," al-Biss said Wednesday evening. However, she made no mention of returning to violence and said she hoped to enroll in university and get her burns treated.
Hamas officials said they would give prisoners a $2,000 gift each and that they would receive government salaries.
The triumphant return of the released Palestinians and the militant calls deepened concerns among many Israelis, even as the nation erupted into joy over Schalit's release.
Israel's agreement to release 1,027 Palestinians for Schalit was the most lopsided swap in the country's history. That Palestinians convicted of bombing attacks on Israeli buses and cafes as well as other deadly attacks were also among those released was seen as a victory by Hamas -- and a blow to Israelis.
"Capitulation is not a word that cannot be uttered. Sometimes, it is an unavoidable act in a lengthy war," said Ron Ben-Yishai in an editorial for the Israeli daily Ynet News on Wednesday.
Still, the swap deal appeared to hit a rocky turn on Thursday as Israeli and Hamas officials gave conflicting details about the second phase of the deal.
An Israeli official said Israel would select names of 550 Palestinians to be freed in two months.
"Their names will be chosen by Israel. The names of the 550 will be at our discretion," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.
But Hamas officials, including negotiator Saleh Arouri, said Thursday that Israel agreed to guidelines on who is to be selected for release. Arouri said those guidelines included giving priority to elderly and prisoners serving long sentences.
The Israeli official would not say if Israel had to follow certain guidelines on prisoner selection.
