Hamas Condemns Israel For Delaying Release Of Palestinian Prisoners

Hamas fighters with Eli Sharabi, an Israeli prisoner who was released on February 8, 2025. (Sky News/AP)

JAKARTA - Hamas on Sunday criticized Israel for delaying the release of Palestinian prisoners.

The Palestinian resistance group assessed that the delay by Israel violated a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip and a prisoner swap.

Israel will originally release 620 Palestinians on Saturday (22/2) to exchange for six hostages released by Hamas.

However, Israel postponed the release because the process of handing over hostages by Hamas was considered "embarrassing".

"Israel's claim is wrong and weak and intends to avoid obligations in accordance with the agreement," Hamas leader Ezzat AlRishq said in a statement.

"The handover ceremony did not insult prisoners, but showed humane treatment for them," he said, as quoted by ANTARA.

Israel said it would delay the release until the next hostage handover is carried out without a "demeaning" ceremony.

"The real insult is the treatment of Palestinian prisoners in the process of their release, which often involves intentional torture, beatings and insults until the last moment," said Rishq.

"Palestinian prisoners were released in handcuffs and closed eyes, their families were threatened not to celebrate their return," he said.

Rishq accused Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu of deliberately sabotaging the Gaza deal.

Netanyahu called it blatantly violating the agreement and Israel was not responsible for fulfilling its commitments.

Rishq urged mediators and the international community to pressure Israel to respect the deal and release prisoners without delay.

The ceasefire deal, which came into force last month, has halted Israel's genocide war in the Gaza Strip.

The war killed more than 48,300 Gazans, mostly women and children, and destroyed the Palestinian enclave.

The International Criminal Court in November issued an arrest warrant against Netanyahu and his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant, for committing war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Israel is also facing genocide cases at the International Court of Justice over the war it waged in the Gaza Strip.