According to Israeli sources and Hamas, Israel has failed to release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees in exchange for six hostages in Gaza, and the government has agreed to a new exchange and expressed the vulnerability of the ceasefire.
Israeli sources said the Egyptian broker agreement between Hamas and Israel will see it exchanged with 620 Palestinian prisoners and detainees during the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, which will be released last Saturday. Among the detainees are 23 children and one woman.
Israel delayed their release in protest of its cruel treatment of hostages during Hamas’ release and demanded guarantees that future hostage releases will take place without a “shaming ceremony.”
Palestinian prisoners and advocates of detainees have expressed repeated concerns about the delay, and Israel’s treatment of detainees.
The Palestinian Prisoners Association said that since the attack led by Hamas on October 7, 2023, 69 Palestinian prisoners have died in Israeli custody, of which 38 have been detained in Gaza.
Hamas released six Israeli hostages from Gaza on Saturday in two public ceremonies and a private transfer, the final hostage return of the first phase of the ceasefire deal that began last month.
Hamas accused Israel of delaying the truce, creating some uncertainty about the ceasefire agreement and said negotiations in the second phase were impossible.
Hamas confirmed that the agreement with Israel was reached through Egyptian mediators, but did not specify how many Israeli hostages will be released, as well as Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
An Egyptian official confirmed an agreement between Israel and Hamas was reached, a statement from the Egyptian government’s media office said.
Hamas and its allies hold 63 hostages in Gaza. According to the Israeli government, at least 32 of them were believed to have died, one of them was soldier Hadar Goldin, which has been held since 2014.
