The Israeli government has reportedly postponed the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, despite a recent prisoner swap with Hamas.
According to reports, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has decided to delay the release of the seventh group of Palestinian prisoners, citing the need for further consultations “based on the goal of returning all of our hostages – the living and the dead.”
The decision comes after Hamas handed over six Israeli captives to ‘Israel’ on Saturday, as part of the initial 42-day phase of the ceasefire agreement that took effect on January 19th. Under the agreement, 33 Israeli captives were to be released in exchange for almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.
However, with four Israeli captives still remaining to be released in the first phase, Netanyahu has now decided to hold off on the planned release of 602 Palestinian prisoners, pending further discussions.
🛑Breaking | The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office: “We have decided to suspend the release of Palestinian prisoners until we ensure the liberation of the next hostages without provocative ceremonies.” pic.twitter.com/8UpzlY3UMJ
— Eye on Palestine (@EyeonPalestine) February 22, 2025
The delay has angered the families of the Palestinian prisoners, who are now organizing protests to demand that Israel honor the terms of the ceasefire deal and proceed with the planned prisoner release.
In a statement, Hamas spokesman Abdul Latif al-Qanou urged ‘Israel’ to “remain committed to the remaining terms of the agreement and the implementation of the humanitarian protocol.” He warned that the catastrophic situation in Gaza requires “mediators to pressure the occupation to implement the humanitarian protocol and provide our people with shelter and relief supplies.”
The Palestinian resistance group has previously warned that it could delay the release of Israeli captives if the Israeli occupation military violates the ceasefire deal.
Source: Agencies (edited and translated by Al-Manar English Website)
