Israeli officials have announced an indefinite postponement of the planned release of over 600 Palestinian prisoners, potentially dealing another significant blow to the ceasefire process. This follows the release on Saturday of six Israeli hostages, including four who were kidnapped during Hamas's deadly October 7th attack on Israel. The delay underscores the fragile nature of the ongoing negotiations and the challenges in maintaining the ceasefire.
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02-23, 2025Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the Palestinian prisoner release would be delayed until Hamas guarantees the next hostage handover proceeds smoothly and ceases what he described as Hamas's "degrading ceremonies" conducted weekly. Currently, only one final hostage handover remains in the first phase of the ceasefire, involving four hostages who died in captivity. The Israeli government is taking a firm stance to ensure respect and dignity during the exchange process.
An agreement has not yet been reached regarding the release arrangements for other surviving hostages in the second phase of the ceasefire. Mediators will be working overtime in an effort to get the agreement back on track and avoid a potential collapse of the truce. Netanyahu accused Hamas of "repeated violations" of the agreement, including "cynical exploitation of the hostages for propaganda." International pressure is mounting on both sides to adhere to the terms of the agreement and prevent further escalation.
Netanyahu's statement came after the release on Saturday of four hostages who were captured at the Nova music festival – Tal Shoham, Omer Shem Tov, Eliya Cohen, and Omer Wenkert. Two other released hostages, Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, had been held in Gaza for years – Mengistu since 2014 and al-Sayed since 2015. The release of these individuals offered a glimmer of hope amid the ongoing conflict and negotiations.
These six Israeli hostages were the last surviving hostages to be released in the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, which was originally scheduled to end next Saturday. Meanwhile, friends and relatives were waiting outside Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank for the release of Palestinian prisoners. An 80-year-old mother in Khan Younis, Gaza, told Agence France-Presse she "couldn't believe" her son would be freed after 33 years in prison. However, by nightfall, Hamas accused Israel of violating the agreement by delaying the release of prisoners. There was no immediate response from Hamas following Netanyahu's statement. The situation remains tense as families on both sides anxiously await further developments.
According to Palestinian authorities, 50 of the prisoners slated for release had been sentenced to life imprisonment, 60 had been given long-term sentences, and 445 had been detained by Israel since October 7th. Of the 62 hostages taken on October 7th, 2023, approximately half are still believed to be alive. More hostages are expected to be released in the next phase of the three-stage ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, which is scheduled to begin on March 1st. The hope is that the agreement will hold and lead to the safe return of all remaining hostages.
After the ceasefire agreement went into effect on January 19th, Hamas began releasing hostages with the assistance of the Red Cross in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. The initial chaotic scenes have become more orderly, with hostages being escorted onto a stage by armed men before being handed over. On Saturday, Shoham, 40, and Mengistu, 39, were handed over to the Red Cross in Rafah, southern Gaza, before being transferred to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). These carefully orchestrated transfers aim to ensure the safety and security of all parties involved.
Shoham was kidnapped by Hamas along with his wife and two children while visiting family at Kibbutz Be'eri in October 2023. "This is an unforgettable moment, all the emotions are intertwined rapidly," his family said in a statement. "Our Tal is with us." His captured family members were released after 50 days. Mengistu, an Ethiopian-Israeli, had been held by Hamas since entering northern Gaza in September 2014. His long captivity highlights the complex and protracted nature of the conflict.
According to their families, both he and al-Sayed, a Bedouin Arab-Israeli who entered Gaza in 2015, had suffered from mental health issues. Al-Sayed's release took place privately in Gaza City on Saturday. "After nearly a decade of struggling for Hisham's return, the long-awaited moment has arrived," his family said in a statement. "During these days, we need privacy for Hisham and the whole family so that we can start taking care of Hisham and ourselves." The focus now shifts to providing the necessary care and support for their reintegration into society.
Additionally, in Nuseirat in central Gaza, Shem Tov, 22, Cohen, 27, and Wenkert, 23, were released in another public display by Hamas. All three were captured at the Nova music festival. Shem Tov initially escaped the Hamas attack on the festival in his car but was captured when he went back to rescue his friends. Cohen and his girlfriend, Ziv Abud, hid together in a shelter at the festival but were discovered and taken away. The shelter was blown up, but Abud survived and escaped. Wenkert managed to text his family when festival participants came under attack, telling them he was going to a safe shelter, but they lost contact. The stories of these individuals underscore the devastating impact of the conflict on ordinary lives.
At Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, crowds cheered as they watched live broadcasts of the public releases. Families celebrating the return of the six men called for the release of all remaining hostages. "Our only request is to seize the opportunity and reach a deal to bring all the hostages home," Shoham's family said. The remaining hostages include Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old Israeli-American soldier who was captured on October 7th. The calls for the release of all hostages resonate deeply with the Israeli public.
His mother, Yael Alexander, who watched Saturday's hostage release, told the BBC that seeing them freed was "amazing" but that the wait had been "very hard" for her family. "There are dozens more young men, like my son, still alive, waiting to be released. This is the main goal, to get the living out of Gaza now." The urgency and desperation in her voice highlight the ongoing trauma and uncertainty faced by families of those still held captive.
Saturday's joyful scenes stood in stark contrast to earlier in the week, when the bodies of hostages Shiri Bibas, her two young sons, and another hostage, Oded Lifschitz, were returned to Israel. In the October 7th, 2023, Hamas attack, about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed, and another 251 were taken to Gaza as hostages. Israel subsequently launched a massive military operation against Hamas, which, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, has killed at least 48,319 Palestinians, mostly civilians. The ongoing violence and loss of life underscore the urgent need for a lasting resolution to the conflict.
