Israel delays Palestinian prisoner release as hostages freed

Israel has announced an indefinite postponement of the plan to release over 600 Palestinian prisoners, potentially dealing another significant blow to the ceasefire process. This move, following the recent release of six Israeli hostages, further intensifies the already strained relations between Israel and Hamas. The decision underscores the fragility of the ongoing negotiations and the deep distrust between the two sides.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the prisoner release plan would be delayed until Hamas guarantees the smooth execution of the next hostage handover and ceases what he described as Hamas's weekly "degrading ceremonies." According to the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, only one hostage transfer remains—the handover of the bodies of four hostages who died in captivity—which is expected to conclude on March 1st. The delay introduces uncertainty into the future of the agreement.

Currently, no arrangements have been made for the second phase involving the release of other living hostages. Originally, delegations from Israel and Hamas were scheduled to negotiate the specific terms of the second phase during the first phase, but they have yet to meet. Mediators will intensify efforts to get the agreement back on track to avoid a potential collapse, as both Israel and Hamas have accused each other of violating the terms of the agreement. The lack of progress highlights the challenges in bridging the gap between the two parties.

Netanyahu accused Hamas of "repeated violations" of the agreement, including "cynically exploiting the hostages for propaganda." In response, Hamas official Izzat al-Rishq issued a statement on Sunday morning strongly condemning Israel's decision to postpone the prisoner release. He stated that Israel's claims of humiliating transfer ceremonies were "false claims and untenable arguments" aimed at evading its obligations under the ceasefire agreement. The accusations and counter-accusations further erode confidence in the process.

Netanyahu's statement came after the release of four hostages captured on January 7th—Tal Shoham, Omer Shem Tov, Elia Cohen, and Omer Wenkert—on Saturday. Two other hostages, Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, had been held in Gaza for years—Mengistu since 2014 and al-Sayed since 2015. In exchange, Israel was supposed to release 602 Palestinian prisoners. Hamas has accused Israel of violating the agreement by delaying the release. The situation remains fraught with tension and uncertainty.

Outside the Ofer prison in the occupied West Bank, friends and relatives are waiting for the release of the Palestinian prisoners. According to Palestinian Authority data, 50 of the prisoners slated for release are serving life sentences, 60 are serving long-term sentences, and 445 have been detained by Israel since October 7th. 62 hostages seized by Hamas on October 7, 2023, remain in captivity, with approximately half believed to be alive. The anticipation and disappointment surrounding the prisoner release underscore the human cost of the conflict.

Since the ceasefire agreement took effect on January 19th, Hamas began releasing hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, with the assistance of the Red Cross. The initially chaotic scenes became more organized, with hostages being escorted onto a stage by armed personnel before being transferred. 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). The process has been fraught with challenges and delays.

Shoham was kidnapped by Hamas in October 2023 while visiting family at Kibbutz Be'eri, along with others, including his wife and two children. His captured family members were released after 50 days. "This is an unforgettable moment, with all the emotions swirling together rapidly. Our Tal is with us," his family said in a statement. Mengistu, an Ethiopian-Israeli, had been held by Hamas since entering northern Gaza in September 2014. Their stories highlight the personal tragedies behind the broader conflict.

According to their families, he and al-Sayed, a Bedouin Arab-Israeli who entered Gaza in 2015, have both suffered from mental health issues in the past. Al-Sayed's release took place discreetly in Gaza City on Saturday. "After nearly a decade of fighting 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 entire family so that we can begin to care for Hisham and ourselves." The families' pleas for privacy underscore the delicate nature of the situation.

Separately, 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 in a car when Hamas militants attacked the festival but was captured when he went back to rescue his friends. Cohen and his girlfriend, Ziv Abood, hid in a shelter at the festival but were discovered and taken. The shelter was bombed, but Abood survived and escaped. The circumstances surrounding their capture underscore the chaos and violence of the initial attack.

Wenkert managed to text his family as the festival participants came under attack, telling them he was going to a safe shelter, but they lost contact with him. Cheers erupted as crowds watched the public release unfold live at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv. Families celebrating the return of the six men have called for the release of all remaining hostages. The public displays of release highlight the emotional impact of the situation on both sides.

"Our only request is to seize the opportunity and reach an agreement to bring... all the hostages home," Shoham's family said. The remaining hostages include 21-year-old Israeli-American soldier Idan Alexander, who was captured on October 7th. His mother, Yael Alexander, told the BBC while watching Saturday's hostage release that seeing them freed was "amazing" but that the wait was "very difficult" for her family. The families' pleas for the release of remaining hostages underscore the urgency of the situation.

She said: "There are dozens of young people like my son who are still alive and still waiting to be released. This is the main goal, to release the living from Gaza now." Saturday's scenes of joy stood in stark contrast to earlier this week, when the bodies of hostage Shiri Bibas, her two young sons, and another hostage, Odad Lifshitz, were returned to Israel. The return of deceased hostages underscores the tragic consequences of the conflict.

In the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas, approximately 1,200 people—mostly civilians—were killed, and 251 others were taken back to Gaza as hostages. Israel responded with a large-scale military operation that, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, has killed at least 48,319 Palestinians—mostly civilians. The ongoing conflict continues to claim lives and exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in the region.