Israel has released from prison one of the founders of Hamas, who had been imprisoned for five years for terrorist activities.

Sheik Hassan Yousef, one of Hamas’ most prominent figures in the West Bank, was released Aug. 11 along with 200 Palestinian prisoners as a gesture in honor  of Ramadan, the Israel Prison Service said.

Yousef was due to be released in mid-September. He was in the news last year when it was revealed that his son, Mosab Hassan Yousef, had served as a spy for Israel within Hamas for more than a decade, preventing dozens of attacks. He subsequently was disowned by his father. — jta