Palestinian households react after Israel delayed the discharge of Palestinian prisoners, scheduled to be launched within the seventh hostage-prisoner trade, within the occupied West Financial institution metropolis of Ramallah early on February 23, 2025.
Zain Jaafar/AFP through Getty Photographs
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Zain Jaafar/AFP through Getty Photographs
TEL AVIV, Israel — In a big disruption of the Gaza ceasefire deal, Israel is delaying the discharge of tons of of Palestinians detainees and prisoners after Hamas launched Israeli hostages in ceremonies Israel known as humiliating.
An official conversant in the matter, who was not licensed to talk publicly, stated it was Israel’s try to increase the present section of the ceasefire earlier than it expires in a single week and to hunt the discharge of extra hostages. The Prime Minister’s Workplace declined to remark.
Israel’s navy can also be intensifying an offensive in opposition to a Palestinian militant stronghold within the occupied West Financial institution, deploying tanks there for the primary time in additional than 20 years. Israel’s protection minister is vowing to maintain troops in Palestinian refugee camps and forestall the return of displaced residents within the coming 12 months.
Israel and Hamas traded accusations in regards to the therapy of hostages and prisoners
Hamas launched six Israeli hostages Saturday, all however considered one of them in staged ceremonies. A masked Hamas videographer spoke to at least one hostage earlier than filming him kissing the heads of masked militants. Hamas additionally drove a pair of Israeli hostages, nonetheless held captive, to a launch ceremony, and filmed them on the scene begging Israel to be launched.
As a part of the hostage-prisoner trade deal, Israel on Saturday was about to launch round 600 Palestinians from jail, carrying sweatshirts with a verse from Psalms translated into Arabic about pursuing one’s enemies.
However in a late-night resolution, Israel protested the “cynical exploitation of our hostages for propaganda purposes” and stated it will delay the Palestinians’ launch “until the release of the next hostages has been assured, and without the humiliating ceremonies,” the Prime Minister’s workplace stated. The choice additionally got here after Hamas returned the stays of an nameless girl as an alternative of an Israeli hostage killed whereas in captivity; Hamas later handed over the hostage’s physique.
Israeli hostage Eliya Cohen (L) and Omer Shem Tov smile to one another as they stand on stage accompanied by Hamas fighters in Nuseirat within the central Gaza Strip, after their launch as a part of the seventh hostage-prisoner trade on February 22, 2025.
Eyad Baba/AFP through Getty Photographs
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Eyad Baba/AFP through Getty Photographs
Hamas known as the prisoner launch delay a ceasefire violation, and rejected Israel’s accusation. “These ceremonial protocols do not humiliate the prisoners, but rather reflect the humane and dignified treatment of them. The true humiliation is what our detainees face during the release process, including torture, beatings, and deliberate mistreatment until the very last moments,” Hamas stated in an announcement.
Among the many Palestinians who have been meant to be launched Saturday are these convicted of lethal assaults in opposition to Israelis, and tons of of Palestinians apprehended in Gaza through the latest warfare and held with out cost.
The subsequent section of the ceasefire stays unclear
Earlier than the present stage of the ceasefire expires Mar. 2, Hamas is supposed to return the stays of 4 Israeli hostages this coming Thursday, and Israel is supposed to launch extra Palestinian detainees and prisoners Saturday.
However the way forward for the Gaza ceasefire is unclear. Israel’s new senior ceasefire negotiator, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, met with President Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff in america late final week to debate the subsequent section, the official stated.
Israel is pushing to increase the present section of the ceasefire and safe the discharge of extra hostages, quite than negotiate the phrases of a second section, which might necessitate a full Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza and a dedication to finish the warfare, the official stated. These are phrases that far-right members of Israel’s governing coalition oppose.
Israel says 63 hostages stay in Gaza, solely 27 of them believed to be alive. They have been amongst greater than 250 individuals taken hostage on Oct. 7, 2023, when militants from Hamas and different teams broke by way of the border with Israel and killed some 1,200 individuals, in line with Israel.
Within the ensuing 15 months of warfare, greater than 48,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed in Israeli strikes, in line with Gaza well being authorities.
Folks cheer as an Israeli Air Pressure CH-53 navy transport helicopter carrying newly-released Israeli hostages Omer Shem Tov and Eliya Cohen arrives at Beilinson Hospital within the Rabin Medical Centre in Petah Tikva in central Israel on February 22, 2025.
Ahmad Gharabli/AFP through Getty Photographs
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Ahmad Gharabli/AFP through Getty Photographs
Israel intensifies its operation within the occupied West Financial institution
The Israeli navy introduced it was deploying tanks to Jenin, a northern metropolis within the West Financial institution and the main target of Israel’s present operation there. It is the primary time Israel has had tanks within the occupied territory for the reason that Second Intifada in 2002.
The operation, which Israel says is for counterterrorism and has been known as Operation Iron Wall, started greater than a month in the past within the Jenin refugee camp, simply two days after the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas was carried out in Gaza. It has since unfold to a number of different areas together with the refugee camps of Tulkarem and Nur Shams.
Greater than 40,000 Palestinians have been displaced from these areas, in line with the United Nations and Israel’s protection minister — the biggest displacement of Palestinians within the West Financial institution in many years. The bulk are staying in rented residences, which have develop into more and more unaffordable, in line with reviews from the United Nations. Others are staying in makeshift shelters in faculties or mosques. Almost all fled with few belongings and are looking for help.
In an announcement launched right this moment, Israel’s Protection Minister Israel Katz stated that he had instructed the navy to stay within the camps for the approaching 12 months, and that Israel would “prevent the return of residents” — a risk that echoes the mass displacement of Palestinians in Gaza by order of Israel through the warfare.
“We will not return to the reality of the past,” Katz stated. “We will continue to clear the refugee camps and additional terror hubs.”
Refugee camps like Jenin and Tulkarem have lengthy been militant strongholds within the West Financial institution, however are additionally built-up city areas house to many households and civilians, with important assets like faculties and hospitals. The United Nations says that Israeli forces have destroyed dozens of buildings on this present operation, ripped up roads and triggered extreme injury to crucial infrastructure like water, sewage and electrical energy.
Final week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Katz visited troops in Tulkarem, saying that reinforcements had been known as up and that the navy operation within the West Financial institution would “intensify.”
The go to got here the morning after explosives detonated on a number of buses within the Tel Aviv suburbs, and a number of other extra buses have been discovered with explosives onboard. The buses had been empty on the time and no accidents have been reported, however Israeli officers thought of it a significant terrorism incident.
Nuha Musleh in Ramallah, Yanal Jabarin in Jerusalem and Ahmed Abuhamda in Cairo contributed to this report.
