To spend a rush hour these days at any of the traffic-snarled checkpoints outside Palestinian cities in the West Bank is to hear of the endless problems they have brought — families divided, money lost,

Three male Israeli hostages and 183 Palestinian prisoners were freed in the fifth round of exchanges between Israel and Hamas Saturday, but the gaunt, frail appearance of the released captives was condemned as “shocking” by Israel.

The three men all appeared thin, weak and pale, and in worse condition than the 18 hostages who had previously been freed under the truce.