Due to dissatisfaction with Hamas repeatedly violating the fragile ceasefire agreements, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced on Saturday night, February 22, that the release of over 600 Palestinian prisoners scheduled for that day will be postponed.
Netanyahu made the decision on the release during a Saturday night consultation meeting. He strongly demanded Hamas provide assurances that they must cease conducting “humiliating ceremonies” during the hostage transfer process, otherwise the related release actions will not proceed as scheduled.
According to a statement released by Netanyahu’s office early Sunday morning, the delay is in response to Hamas repeatedly showcasing the transfer of hostages through public ceremonies that trampled on the dignity of Israeli hostages.
The Israeli government believes that such ceremonies not only seriously insult the hostages but also escalate tensions between the two sides. The statement read, “Due to Hamas repeatedly violating agreements, including demeaning our hostages through ceremonies and using hostages for propaganda purposes, we have decided to postpone the release of the terrorists planned for yesterday until the next hostage exchange can be conducted without humiliating ceremonies.”
Earlier on that day, over 600 prisoners had boarded buses to leave Ofer prison, but they were later ordered to disembark, and the release operation was indefinitely halted.
It was reported that in previous hostage exchange ceremonies, Hamas had held ceremonies widely criticized for their humiliating nature. In these ceremonies, hostages were escorted by Hamas militants in plain view to a stage or plaza. Some hostages were required to adopt submissive or apologetic gestures during the ceremony, or even forced to speak, showing obedience to Hamas.
The ceremony venues were often provocatively set up, accompanied by provocative slogans, chants, and cheers from the crowd, with the entire scene seen as a display of Hamas’ “victory” and control over the hostages.
Hamas, on the other hand, accused Israel of violating the ceasefire agreement and criticized Netanyahu for “deliberate delays.”
The initial plan for this release was to release 602 Palestinian prisoners, including 50 sentenced to life imprisonment for killing Israelis and 60 serving long sentences. Another 445 prisoners had been detained in Gaza after October 7 and were never charged.
In the ceasefire agreement reached last month, this hostage exchange plan was included. On Saturday, Hamas in the Gaza Strip handed over six Israeli hostages, marking the final batch of Israeli hostages scheduled for release under the agreement.
Additionally, according to statements from the Israeli military and families, after Hamas returned four hostage bodies last Thursday (20th), it was found through DNA testing that the body of hostage Shiri Bibas did not match her identity records.
This sparked strong condemnation from the Israeli side, who deemed it a serious violation of the ceasefire agreement by Hamas. Hamas claimed it might have been a case of misidentification amidst the chaos and stated they would investigate the matter.
The Israeli government emphasized that due to Hamas’s repeated violations of agreement conditions, the release operation must be postponed until future exchanges can be guaranteed with stricter, humiliation-free protocols. The Prime Minister’s Office of Israel underscored that maintaining the seriousness and dignity of agreements is crucial for promoting lasting peace in the Middle East region.
(This article references reports from Reuters and The Times of Israel)