Gaza City: Israel stopped the release of 602 Palestinians it has unjustly imprisoned despite Hamas releasing six hostages as part of a deal brokered by the US and Qatar. Netanyahu has said the prisoners will only be released if the "humiliating" hostage-freeing ceremony ends. The White House has also come out in support of the violation of the agreement, saying that Israel’s move is an appropriate response to Hamas, accusing the Gazan armed group of brutal treatment of Israeli hostages.
According to a statement from US National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes, the delay to release the prisoners is an “appropriate response” to Hamas's treatment of the hostages. He said that US President Donald Trump is prepared to support Israel in “whatever course of action it chooses regarding Hamas,” The Indian Express quoted.
However, Hamas pointed out that Israel's failure to release 602 Palestinian prisoners, including children and women, who have been held for years, is a serious violation of the Gaza ceasefire agreement. Hamas political bureau member Izzat al-Rishq said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's claim that the prisoner exchange ceremony is humiliating is false. He accused Israel of trying to evade its obligations under the ceasefire agreement, saying that Netanyahu's decision was a deliberate attempt to sabotage the ceasefire agreement. He said that the action shows that Israel cannot be trusted to implement the ceasefire agreement. Israel has delayed its decision to release this large group of Palestinian prisoners after Hamas released six hostages on Saturday.
Hamas, meanwhile, has said the prisoner exchange ceremony is not an insult to them but a dignified, humane act. Hamas will hand over the bodies of four more hostages this week, ending the first phase of the ceasefire agreement. The remaining hostages will be handed over in the second phase.
Now, Hamas has announced that it will not release the hostages until the ceasefire is implemented and Israeli forces withdraw completely.