Israel begins prisoner release

JERUSALEM (CNN) - Buses carrying nearly 200 Palestinian prisoners that Israel plans to release arrived at the Beituniya checkpoint in the West Bank Monday morning, where their families awaited their release, Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev said.

The prisoner release is described by Israel as a "confidence-building measure" intended to "energize the peace process" with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. It includes two men "with blood on their hands," according to the government.

It comes just hours before a visit by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.