The latest prisoner exchange between Israel and Hamas in Gaza is underway. Hamas released six Israeli prisoners instead of three in the seventh round. Two in Rafah and one in the center of Gaza were handed over to the Red Cross. Three hostages were released in Nuseirat in a ceremony. One of the hostages here was kissed on the forehead by a member of Hamas’s military wing, the Kassam Brigades, during the release. The exchange was expected to involve releasing 602 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Israeli captives, but Israel delayed the swap. In response to the delay, Hamas stated that Israel’s failure to release the Palestinian prisoners at the agreed time was a clear violation of the deal. Subsequently, an announcement from the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office declared that the release of Palestinian prisoners was postponed until the other hostages were released. The final prisoner exchange between Israel and Hamas has turned into a crisis.
In the context of the 7th prisoner exchange, Hamas released six Israeli prisoners yesterday. The names of the hostages handed over to the Red Cross are as follows: Eliya Cohen, Omer Shem Tov, Tal Shoham, Omer Wenkert, Hisham al-Sayed, and Avera Mengisto. Shoham and Mengisto were first handed over to the Red Cross in Rafah. The Israeli media claimed that Sayed and Mengistu had been held hostage in Gaza for over ten years. The other three hostages were released in Nuseirat. It was noteworthy that one of the hostages’ foreheads were kissed by a fighter from the Kassam Brigades during the release. The sixth prisoner was delivered to the Red Cross in the center of Gaza. Hamas expressed readiness to move to the second phase, make a comprehensive exchange agreement, commit to a permanent ceasefire, and fully withdraw from Gaza in return for the Israeli captives. While the release of 602 Palestinian prisoners was expected in exchange for Israeli captives, it did not happen as planned. Israel did not release the Palestinian prisoners. Hamas reiterated that Israel’s failure to release the Palestinian prisoners at the agreed time was a blatant violation of the agreement. An announcement from the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office noted that the plan to release Palestinian prisoners was postponed until the other hostages were released. The statement indicated that Palestinian prisoners would not be released until the return of other Israeli hostages and the guarantee of their safe return without a ceremony. Israel State Television Kan reported, citing Israeli sources, that Israel would delay the delivery of 620 Palestinian prisoners who were required to be released today within the framework of the ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement until the end of a “security meeting” convened by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Hamas Spokesperson Abdullatif Kanu stated in a written announcement that Israel’s failure to release the Palestinian prisoners at the agreed time in the seventh round of the prisoner exchange was a clear violation of the deal. Kanu added, “Hamas continues to endeavor to make the mediation of the prisoner exchange process successful, while war criminal Netanyahu persists in delaying the release of the prisoners.” Kanu called on the mediators (Egypt and Qatar) and the guarantors of the agreement to pressure Israel to abide by the ceasefire agreement. Two days ago, Hamas handed over the lifeless bodies of four hostages in the context of the hostage and prisoner exchange agreement. The Israeli army claimed that one of the surrendered bodies did not belong to Shiri Bibas, stating that this was a “very serious violation of the ceasefire agreement.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that he would “make Hamas pay” for the violation. Following the allegations, Hamas mentioned that the remains of the Israeli hostage Shiri Bibas seemed to be mixed with the other human remains extracted from the wreckage after an Israeli airstrike hit Bibas’s location. The Palestinian group later turned over Bibas’s body to Israel. Israel announced the identification of Bibas’s identity. So far, Hamas has handed over 28 Israeli hostages in the context of the hostage exchange, 25 of whom were alive, and 3 in the form of bodies.