Israel has postponed the release of more than 600 Palestinian prisoners, initially scheduled as part of a ceasefire agreement with Hamas. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cited the group’s “humiliating ceremonies” during the handover of Israeli hostages as the primary reason for the delay. Since the ceasefire began on January 19, Hamas has repeatedly paraded Israeli captives, forcing them to participate in staged events where they were shown waving at crowds. Israel decried these actions, calling them a “disgrace” and delaying the release of Palestinian prisoners until such ceremonies cease.
This delay comes after Hamas released six more Israeli hostages on February 22, 2025. However, Israel’s failure to honor its part of the swap led Hamas to accuse the country of breaching the ceasefire agreement. Hamas spokesperson Abdel Latif al-Qanou described the delay as a “blatant violation” and urged truce mediators to pressure Israel into fulfilling its commitments. Palestinian families in both the Gaza Strip and West Bank anxiously awaited the release of their loved ones, with some having already endured prolonged periods of captivity.
Netanyahu’s office justified the hold-up, stating that the release of Palestinian prisoners would resume once Hamas ends its “cynical use of hostages for propaganda.” He also expressed that Hamas would face significant consequences for its violations of the truce, which included issues surrounding the identification of hostage remains, notably in the case of Shiri Bibas. Following confusion over the return of Bibas’ remains, Hamas and Israel both admitted a mix-up, with Hamas later returning her remains to her family for burial who initially claimed the wrong body was released but later clarified the corpse was indeed that of the deseased after medical forensics.
The delay in the prisoner release is part of a fragile ceasefire set to expire in early March. While negotiations for a second phase of the truce are still pending, the truce has so far allowed for the release of 30 hostages, with 62 Israeli captives still held in Gaza. Over 1,200 people were killed in the October 2023 Hamas attack, and the conflict has left at least 48,319 Palestinians dead, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry figures.
As the ceasefire hangs in the balance, both sides face intense international scrutiny. With tensions high, the possibility of a more lasting resolution seems increasingly uncertain.
It is our hope that both side would continue to exercise restraint in order for the intermediaries to work out a perfect and mutually acceptable and workable plan that will ensure this war is eventually resolved peacefully.
Sources:
- AFP, February 22, 2025
- Netanyahu’s office statement
