Israel delays Palestinians' release after six Gaza hostages freed

TDT | Manama
Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that freeing Palestinian prisoners under the Gaza ceasefire deal will be delayed until Hamas ends its "humiliating ceremonies" while releasing Israeli hostages.

Since the ceasefire came into effect on January 19, Hamas has released 25 Israeli hostages in well-rehearsed handovers, with masked militants parading the captives on stage and forcing them to wave at Gazans gathered to watch.

In the seventh scheduled prisoner-hostage swap, Hamas released six Israeli captives on Saturday while Israel put off releasing Palestinian prisoners. The Palestinian militant group called the move a "blatant violation" of the truce deal.

Israel had been expected to release more than 600 Palestinian prisoners.

"In light of Hamas' repeated violations -- including the disgraceful ceremonies that dishonour our hostages and the cynical use of hostages for propaganda -- it has been decided to delay the release of terrorists", Netanyahu's office said in a statement Sunday.

The delay will last "until the release of the next hostages is ensured, without the humiliating ceremonies", it added.

From Washington, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that Hamas would be "destroyed" if it did not release all remaining hostages.

Families of the Palestinian prisoners, meanwhile, waited hours on Saturday for their loved ones to be released from Israeli custody, only to be disappointed.

"We wait for them, to hug them, and see them, but Netanyahu is always stalling," said Fatiha Abu Abdullah, a mother in the southern Gaza city of Khan Yunis.

"God willing, they will be released soon," added Abdullah, whose son has been in an Israeli prison since November.