Israel has said that it was delaying the release of Palestinian prisoners until Hamas ends the "humiliating ceremonies" staged by it during hostage releases. This came as Hamas released a video showing two captives being brought to a ceremony to watch others being freed.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cited Hamas's alleged violations of the ceasefire-hostage deal as the reason for the postponement.
Israel's decision came as over 600 Palestinian prisoners were gearing up to return home. They were readying to board the buses to Gaza when Netanyahu decided to stall it. The prisoners were made to disembark the vehicle and return to the Ofer prison.
This literally took my breath away.
— MichaelRapaport (@MichaelRapaport) February 22, 2025
This is diabolical!!!!
Hamas brought additional hostages to the release location today, compelling them to witness their fellow captives being freed while they pleaded to return home. Among those hostages were Evyatar David and Guy Dalal… pic.twitter.com/12Jx7JFpWZ
Netanyahu was outraged by the new "propaganda video" released by Hamas showing hostages being brought to a ceremony where others were being freed. The Hamas footage shows the two men in a vehicle, watching a handover ceremony for three other hostages. The Israeli hostages, identified as Evyatar David and Guy Gilboa Dalal, were seen looking outside the vehicle to the stage where the ceremony was being held. They cover their faces in anguish before turning to the camera, begging "save us please". The 2-minute video was described as "sickening" by Israeli media and the relatives of David and Dalal.
"This is the best sign of life I could ask for, but on the other hand there’s nothing more cruel," Gilboa-Dalal’s father Ilan Dalal told Channel 12 news.
He described the act of forcing them to watch their friends being released before returning them to the tunnels as "simply inhumane".
However, Netanyahu's office soon released a statement informing about the new development. "In light of the repeated violations by Hamas — including the ceremonies that demean our hostages’ dignity and the cynical use of our hostages for propaganda purposes — it has been decided to delay the release of terrorists planned for yesterday until the next release of hostages is guaranteed, and without the humiliating ceremonies," the statement read.
The Palestinian Authority’s commission for prisoners’ affairs too confirmed the news. A video was posted by AP showing relatives of the Palestinian prisoners in West Bank waiting for the arrival of their loved one, before dispersing. One woman was shown walking away in tears.
