Family members of Palestinian prisoners gathered in Khan Yunis, in southern Gaza, awaiting the arrival of those released in the exchange deal. Photo: Quds News Network.
The Palestinian Resistance movement Hamas condemned Israel’s decision to postpone the release of Palestinian prisoners, accusing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of using the pretext of “insulting” Israeli prisoners to disrupt the ceasefire agreement.
In a statement released on Sunday, February 23, Hamas called the delay a clear attempt to evade the occupation entity’s obligations under the ceasefire agreement.
Hamas’ political bureau member Izzat al-Rishq stated that “the decision once again exposes the occupation’s evasions and its renouncement of its commitments.”
The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office had reported late on Saturday that the release of Palestinian prisoners was postponed due to “repeated violations” by Hamas.
Netanyahu’s office claimed that Hamas had “insulted” Israeli prisoners by organizing ceremonies for political gain during their release, referring to these ceremonies as propaganda tools.
It further stated that the delay was intended to pressure Hamas into releasing the remaining Israeli captives without ceremonies it deemed “humiliating.”
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According to al-Rishq, Israel’s claim that the handover ceremonies are provocative and humiliating “is a false pretext and a flimsy excuse aimed at evading its obligations under the agreement.”
“The real humiliation is what our prisoners endure during the release process, including torture, beatings, and deliberate humiliation up until the last moments,” al-Rishq added. “Palestinian prisoners are released with their hands shackled and their eyes blindfolded, while their families are threatened not to hold any celebrations to welcome their freed children.”
Hamas called on international mediators and the global community to “assume their responsibilities and pressure the occupation to implement the agreement and release the prisoners without any delay.”
On Saturday, February 22, the Al-Qassam Brigades handed over to the Red Cross six Israeli captives, in Rafah, Nuseirat, and Gaza City.
The handovers in Rafah and Nuseirat were accompanied by large military and public gatherings, while the sixth prisoner, Hisham al-Sayed from the Neqab, a Palestinian with ‘Israeli’ citizenship who had served in the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF), was released in Gaza City without ceremony, “out of respect for the Palestinians inside the 1948 ocupied territories” as stated by the Al-Qassam Brigades.
(Palestine Chronicle) with Orinoco Tribune content
