Some 40 Palestinian prisoners expected to be released this week by Israel will head to Qatar, Turkey and Syria, a Hamas official has said.

The detainees are part of a group of 477 Palestinian prisoners who will be freed this week as part of a trade for Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier who was captured by Gaza militants in 2006.

A second group of 550 Palestinians will be freed in the next two months following Shalit’s release, AFP reports.