Israel will postpone the release of the Palestinian prisoners included in the seventh batch in the exchange deal until after security consultations conducted by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tonight, Israel’s broadcasting authority KAN said Saturday.
The security consultations will be on negotiations for the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, said the broadcaster.
Citing the Israeli Prison Service, the daily Israel Hayom reported that the political leadership has not yet issued instructions for the release of the Palestinian prisoners in the current batch.
The Hamas-affiliated Prisoners’ Information Office accused Israel of delaying the release, saying: "There has been a delay and excesses by the occupation regarding the release of the prisoners.”
Nahed Al-Fakhouri, an official from the Hamas prisoners' office, said in a statement: "The occupation assaulted the prisoners prior to their release, and is attempting to manipulate some of the names of the prisoners scheduled for release."
Al-Fakhouri also confirmed that Hamas is prepared to release all Israeli prisoners in exchange for the release of all Palestinian prisoners.
Israel’s official broadcasting authority said that Netanyahu will conduct security consultations on Saturday evening regarding the commencement of the second phase of the Gaza agreement negotiations.
Netanyahu’s government continues to stall the negotiations that were initially scheduled to begin on Feb. 3.
Israeli authorities are set to release 620 Palestinian prisoners on Saturday as part of the seventh batch of the first phase in the prisoner exchange deal between Hamas and Israel.
Earlier in the day, the Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ military wing, handed over six Israeli captives to the International Committee of the Red Cross in Rafah, Nuseirat, and Gaza City.
The ceasefire deal took effect last month, halting Israel’s genocidal war, which has killed more than 48,300 people, mostly women and children, and left the enclave in ruins.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
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