"Hamas" condemned on Monday Israel's decision to postpone the release of Palestinian prisoners until the radical Palestinian movement ends its ceremonies handing over Israeli hostages, calling them "humiliating", Reuters reported. According to the Islamist group, this definition is false and a pretext for Israel to escape its obligations under the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip.
"(Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu's decision is a conscious attempt to sabotage the agreement, a clear violation of its clauses and shows that the occupiers are not trustworthy in fulfilling their obligations," said a member of the "Hamas" political bureau Ezzat al-Rashk, quoted by Reuters.
Netanyahu's office said early this morning that Israel was holding back the release of 620 Palestinians from Israeli prisons and detention centers "until the release of the next group of Israeli hostages without the humiliating ceremonies is guaranteed."
According to Rashk, the ceremonies did not insult the hostages and "rather reflect a humane treatment of them, respecting their dignity." He said it was "truly insulting" is the treatment of Palestinian prisoners during their exchange.
The representative of the Palestinian armed group drew attention to the binding of the hands and eyes of the Palestinians and the prohibition on expressing their joy, which, according to him, is an example of humiliation on the part of the Israeli authorities.
When handing over Israeli hostages so far, "Hamas" has set up a stage on which some of the released hostages were forced to speak and where coffins with the bodies of Israelis killed in captivity were displayed, Reuters recalls.
Israel's decision came after "Hamas" released six Israeli hostages yesterday under the terms of the ceasefire, the agency noted.
These are the last living prisoners to be released in the first phase of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip under the agreement. Four bodies are scheduled to be handed over next week.
The war in the Gaza Strip began with the unprecedented attack carried out by "Hamas" against Israel on October 7, 2023.