Israel has decided to delay the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners until the next hostages are guaranteed to be released without any 'humiliating ceremonies,' as stated by the Israeli Prime Minister's Office. This decision comes after Hamas released six hostages from Gaza on Saturday, marking the final living captives in this phase of the agreement reached during the ceasefire last month.
The exchange was expected to involve the release of 620 Palestinian detainees, including 23 children, in return for the hostages. However, the release was delayed for over 10 hours due to security reviews conducted by Israeli officials. This delay led to accusations from Hamas of violating the truce, creating uncertainty around the fragile ceasefire deal.
Israel cited Hamas's 'repeated violations,' including the use of hostages in videos and public displays that 'demean their dignity,' as the reason for the delay in releasing the detainees. Hamas had released a propaganda video showing two unreleased Israeli captives watching the hostage release, where the hostages pleaded for their freedom, likely under duress.
After the release of the six hostages, Hamas and its allies still hold 63 Israeli hostages in Gaza, with at least 32 believed to be dead. The release of the remaining hostages is expected to happen in the coming weeks.
The released hostages included individuals who were kidnapped several years ago, with some reported to have serious mental health conditions. The exchange of hostages is part of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, with both sides engaged in negotiations to extend the truce and ensure the safe return of all hostages.
