Israel Delays Palestinian Prisoner Release Over ‘Humiliating’ Hostage Celebrations

Israel has postponed the release of Palestinian prisoners, citing concerns over the nature of recent hostage return ceremonies. Read more on the ongoing tensions.

Israel has delayed the release of over 600 Palestinian prisoners, alleging that Hamas held ‘humiliating’ ceremonies during hostage handovers. This action is viewed as a challenge to the ceasefire agreement.

Israel initially intended to release 620 Palestinians following the freeing of six Israeli hostages by Hamas on Saturday. However, West Jerusalem has voiced dissatisfaction over masked group members displaying Israeli prisoners before crowds.

In a statement released on Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office accused Hamas of “repeatedly violating” the ceasefire agreement. They highlighted actions such as “ceremonies that humiliate our hostages and the cynical use of these individuals for propaganda purposes.”

In response, the office announced: “A decision has been made to postpone the release of terrorists originally scheduled for yesterday until there are guarantees regarding the next hostages’ release and without any degrading ceremonies.”

Consequently, although the Palestinian captives had reportedly boarded buses to depart from Israel’s Ofer prison in the West Bank, they were instructed to disembark. This raises concerns about whether the landmark ceasefire between Hamas and Israel—of which this exchange was a crucial component—will remain intact.

In response, Ezzat El Rashq, a member of the Hamas political bureau, accused Netanyahu of intentionally trying to disrupt the agreement. He stated that this delay “constitutes a clear breach of [the agreement’s] terms and demonstrates the occupation’s unreliability in fulfilling its commitments.” Additionally, officials from the militant group maintain that release ceremonies are being carried out with dignity.

The ceasefire currently in place, mediated by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt, was instituted in mid-January following 15 months of intense conflict that led to considerable casualties and extensive destruction in Gaza. This agreement outlines a gradual exchange of hostages and prisoners and includes measures for delivering humanitarian aid into the region. It is expected to lead to Israel’s withdrawal from the enclave as well.