Hamas has announced that there will be no negotiations with Israel, even through mediators, until the release of Palestinian prisoners is guaranteed. Israel did not release 620 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the 6 Israelis Hamas released in the seventh prisoner exchange.

Mahmud Merdavi, a Hamas official, stated on social media that there will be no talks with Israel at any stage of the process through mediators such as Egypt or Qatar before the Palestinians agreed to be released. The Hamas representative emphasized the need for mediators to “force Israel to comply with the agreement.” Hamas Political Bureau Member Izzet er-Risk had previously stated that Israel’s decision to postpone the release of Palestinian prisoners was a clear sign of avoiding promises and stalling tactics. He also mentioned that Israel’s reasoning that the surrender ceremony was “humiliating” did not reflect the truth.

Despite releasing 6 Israeli prisoners in the seventh round of exchanges, Israel announced the suspension of the release of Palestinian prisoners in Gaza. The statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office stated that the release of Palestinian prisoners has been suspended due to the alleged use of Israeli prisoners for ceremonies and propaganda purposes, affecting the dignity of the Israeli captives. The statement continued that 602 Palestinian prisoners would not be released until the other Israeli prisoners in Gaza are handed over and the surrender process is guaranteed to be conducted without ceremonies. A statement from the Hamas-affiliated Prisoners Media Office had indicated Israel’s intentions to release 620 Palestinian prisoners, including 151 serving life sentences, upon their release.

Moreover, Hamas expressed concern over Israel’s deployment of tanks into the occupied West Bank for the first time in 23 years, viewing it as an indication of Israel’s intention to continue the “genocidal” war against Palestinians. A written statement from Hamas emphasized that Israel’s expansion of operations in the West Bank and the deployment of tanks after many years indicates their dangerous intentions to continue the genocidal war and unprecedented destruction policies against Palestinians. Additionally, attention was drawn to Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz’s orders to the army to stay in Jenin, Tulkarm, and Nur Shams refugee camps for 12 months and prevent the return of forcibly displaced Palestinians, with the statement declaring these plans as unattainable dreams. The statement assured that the people and resistance are ready to face these challenges, emphasizing that the weapons, tanks, and military force of the occupiers will fall apart against Palestinian determination as people continue to uphold their historical rights. Lastly, Israel’s recent incursion into the Cenin Refugee Camp in the north of the region marked its first entry into the West Bank since 2002.