A committee of ministers decided Sunday that 26 terrorists serving jail sentences of 19 to 28 years will go free in 48 hours.

The release is the second installment in a series of four release that will see 104 terrorists go free, as a “gesture” to the Palestinian Authority.

Five of the terrorists to be freed Tuesday are from Gaza and 21 are from Judea and Samaria. The list of names will be published shortly.

Deputy Defense Minister Danny Danon (Likud) had appealed to ministers in an attempt to use direct persuasion to prevent the release.

The previous terrorist release, which saw several convicted killers walk free, was clearly linked to a rise in terrorism, Danon warned, speaking to Arutz Sheva. Since that release there have been many attacks, he noted, including the murders of two IDF soldiers, the murder of Sraya Ofer, and the terrorist infiltration and attempted murder of a young girl in Psagot.

Releasing prisoners “means encouraging terrorists, making them stronger, boosting their spirit,” he declared.

Danon rejected the argument that Israel must release terrorists from prison in order to show its good will and avoid accusations that Israel is the party that is preventing Israel-Palestinian Authority peace.

“I can’t imagine that any sane country, including the United States of America, would free terrorists after attacks,” he said. “The United States wouldn’t consider releasing one terrorist.”