Israel has freed almost 60 Palestinian detainees, most of them members of Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah faction.
Many went to the Palestinian Authority West Bank headquarters in Ramallah to be reunited with family and friends.
Palestinian officials have welcomed the move but called on Israel to free thousands more Palestinian prisoners.
Though Monday's releases fell short of the 90 expected, they are seen as an Israeli attempt to boost Mr Abbas at the expense of the rival Hamas faction.
About 30 Gaza-based detainees were kept in jail because Israeli President Shimon Peres had not signed their pardons.
"We consider this... a humiliation for the leadership in Ramallah that considers this humble number a great achievement"
Mr Peres's office did not explain his action. Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip in June this year, while Fatah remains in power in the West Bank.
The BBC's Aleem Maqbool in Ramallah notes that, according to figures from the UN, the number of detainees being released is less than the average number of Palestinians detained by Israeli forces each month.
Delays
More than 10,000 Palestinians are held in Israeli jails, including hundreds being detained without charge.
All 90 West Bank and Gaza-based detainees were members of Fatah and smaller secular factions who had not been jailed for lethal attacks on Israelis.
Mr Peres was not required to pardon the West Bank-based prisoners, because the area is under direct Israeli military control and the releases could be authorised by an Israeli general.
After the delay of several hours, the West Bank detainees received an emotional welcome from relatives and supporters at Mr Abbas's compound in Ramallah, the Muqataa.
In Gaza, hundreds of Palestinians waited in vain for the return of their relatives.
Israeli troops shot and injured a 14-year-old boy when crowds began approaching a no-man's land separating Gaza and Israel, witnesses said.
Hamas congratulated the prisoners on their release, but called the scale of the move insignificant.
"We consider this... a humiliation for the leadership in Ramallah that considers this humble number a great achievement," said Muhammad Mudhoun, a senior aid in Gaza to the leader of the Hamas government there, Ismail Haniya.
Mr Abbas is expected to meet Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert later this week for more preparatory talks ahead of a Middle East peace conference scheduled for November.
Officials said the pair would be working on a peace deal to present at the summit, at which delegates from 36 countries are expected to meet in the US state of Maryland.
Correspondents say Israel has been keen to strengthen the position of Mr Abbas and his Fatah faction since Hamas won elections last year.
^ Back to top | BBC Sport Home | BBC Homepage | Contact us | Help | ©
~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~42~RS~)