Israel halts release of over 600 Palestinian prisoners

Israel has delayed the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners over the “humiliating ceremonies” that the Israeli hostages have received at the time of handover in Gaza, with Tel Aviv now asking for an assurance of the release of next set of captives.

Vehicles carrying several hundreds of prisoners left the open gates of Ofer prisoner, but later returned and went back in.

As many as 620 Palestinian prisoners were set to be released in exchange for the six Israeli hostages on Saturday, making it as the largest number of prisoners to be released in one day since the ceasefire deal came into effect.

Masked and armed Hamas militants escorted five of the six hostages in front of a gathering on Saturday, an act which has been widely condemned and described as ‘cruel’ by the United Nations and others.

Israel made an apparent reference to the Hamas video of two hostages speaking under seeming pressure. The statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office early Sunday noted the “ceremonies that demean the dignity of our hostages and the cynical use of the hostages for propaganda purposes”.

With just a week left for the initial stage of the ceasefire agreement, Israel’s announcement may have abruptly placed the future of the truce in danger.

Hamas released the last six living hostages under the terms of a ceasefire deal, of these three were Israeli men who were taken captive from the Nova music festival and another was taken while visiting family in southern Israel during the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas.

The other two hostages were those had been held by Hamas in Gaza for a decade after the entered the region of their own will.

In the staged ceremonies, Hamas handed over the five of them to the Red Cross, with Israel describing it as cruel and disrespectful.

(With inputs from Hindustan Times)