Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has announced that the planned release of 620 Palestinian prisoners has been paused, stating that it will only proceed “once the release of the next hostages is guaranteed and without any humiliation rituals”, reported the Al Jazeera.
Meanwhile, Hamas has condemned the delay, calling it a “blatant violation” of the ceasefire agreement. The group had previously released six Israeli captives as part of the first phase of the truce deal.
Protests erupted in Tel Aviv, where demonstrators demanded the return of all remaining captives.
Gaza’s Health Ministry has reported a staggering toll of 48,319 Palestinian deaths and 111,749 wounded in the ongoing Israeli offensive. The Government Media Office has updated its figures to at least 61,709 fatalities, stating that thousands remain buried under rubble and are presumed dead.
The conflict traces back to October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on Israel, killing at least 1,139 people and taking over 200 captives.
