In the midst of over 15 months of Israeli bombardment and Netanyahu’s attempts to “eliminate” them, Hamas stated that significant efforts were made to protect prisoners.

On January 19, following the release of three Israeli prisoners in the fifth prisoner exchange under the ceasefire agreement, Hamas issued a written statement in the town of Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip. The statement emphasized that the Palestinian resistance adheres to humanitarian values and international humanitarian law in its treatment of Israeli prisoners, noting that despite Zionist bombings and Netanyahu’s attempts to target and eliminate Israeli prisoners, great efforts were made to preserve their lives.

Meanwhile, the Israeli government’s statement after the release of Israeli prisoners noted that they appeared “seriously malnourished” and that Israel “will not ignore the horrific scenes witnessed.” Israeli President Yitzak Herzog, in a statement issued from his official account, described the situation of the released Israeli prisoners as a “crime against humanity.” In the fifth round of the prisoner exchange between Hamas and Israel, three Israeli male prisoners in Gaza were handed over to the International Red Cross teams.