Tel Aviv [Israel], February 23 : In a major development, Israel has announced that it is delaying the release of 620 Palestinian prisoners until it is given assurances that the next set of Israeli hostages will be released without subjecting them to any "humiliatiation".
Israel's Prime Minister's Office said that the move has been taken in light of Hamas's repeated violations, holding of ceremonies to humiliate the hostages along with their exploitation for propaganda purposes.
"In light of Hamas's repeated violations, including the ceremonies that humiliate our hostages and the cynical exploitation of our hostages for propaganda purposes...it has been decided to delay the release of terrorists that was planned for yesterday until the release of the next hostages has been assured, and without the humiliating ceremonies," the Israel PM Office stated on X.
https://x.com/IsraeliPM/status/1893457511816044968
https://x.com/IsraeliPM/status/1893457513514742039
Hamas released six Israeli hostages from Gaza on Saturday in two public ceremonies and one private transfer as a part of the final return of live hostages in the first phase of a ceasefire deal that began last month, CNN reported.
In return for Saturday's release, Israel was expected to free 620 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, including 23 children and one woman. CNN reported that Israeli officials delayed that release, citing further security reviews.
Global outrage was seen after the "cold-blooded" murder of the Bibas brothers came to light when their human remains arrived in Israel, not before being subjected to a public parade of their coffins in front of scores of Gazans, as shared by Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
https://x.com/IsraelMFA/status/1892553234310398066
https://x.com/Israel/status/1892473619592139225
Similar visuals were seen on Saturday when two Israeli hostages, Tal Shoham and Avera Mengistu, were released by Hamas.
In a video shared on X by Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it was seen that massive crowds had gathered to watch the handover of the Israeli hostages.
https://x.com/IsraelMFA/status/1893208551100674156
Israel on Friday said, citing forensic reports, that the Bibas brothers, whose corpses were returned by Hamas, were killed with "bare hands" by Hamas days after they were held captive in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) alleged that after killing the two babies in 'cold blood', Hamas tried to cover up the horrific acts.
The country mourned the return of the remains of the youngest hostages - the Bibas brothers, Ariel Bibas (4-year-old) and Kfir Bibas (10 months old). Hamas had also sent an unidentified body, claiming it to be the mother of the kids, Shiri Bibas.
However, while forensic tests done by Israeli authorities confirmed that the remains included those of the boys, the other remains were not those of their mother, Shiri Bibas and nor did they match that of any other Israeli hostage, prompting outrage and condemnation.
Israel finally received the human remains of Shiri Bibas, and the same was confirmed by the deceased's family, CNN reported, citing the hostage relatives' forum.
Bibas' remains had been expected to be among those of four hostages returned by Hamas on Thursday, alongside her sons, Kfir and Ariel, when they were taken captive.
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