What we know about Israel’s decision to delay release of Palestinian prisoners
Peter Beaumont
Our senior international reporter writes from Jerusalem
Israel’s decision to delay the release of Palestinians held in its prisons, who had been due to be exchanged for three Israelis held in Gaza, is the latest crisis to hit the fragile ceasefire deal. How serious it is, is another question.
The ostensible reason for the delay was the chaotic crowd scenes in two locations in Gaza, during the release of the three Israelis today, one held by Hamas and two by Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
As in previous releases Hamas has gone out of its way to stage-manage the optics of the release, complete with a military uniform provided for female soldier Agam Berger, stages, banners, the setting – Khan Younis, close to home of the late Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and the ruined Jabalia refugee camp.
Inevitably the releases were accompanied by scores of armed men escorting the released Israelis to be handed over to the Red Cross for repatriation.
The messaging has not been lost on Israeli and international observers. Hamas and PIJ, despite their decimation during 15 months of war, are keen to show they still exist and are able to put on a show of force with Israeli citizens at the centre.
Politically it makes the promises of Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu of a “total victory” against Hamas ring hollow.
All of which has led to this new – and probably temporary crisis – as, in the midst of the releases in Gaza, Netanyahu put out a statement condemning the scenes.
“I view with utmost severity the shocking scenes during the release of our hostages. This is additional proof of the inconceivable brutality of the Hamas terrorist organization.
“I demand that the mediators make certain that such terrible scenes do not recur, and guarantee the safety of our hostages. Whoever dares to harm our hostages will pay the price.”
A little later his office briefed media that the release of Palestinians under the deal would be delayed until the hostages safe release was “guaranteed.”
The reality is that this is a largely manufactured crisis in a deal where Israel has tried hard to control the optics, not least around the release of Palestinians whose families have been warned not to celebrate in public.
But with US president Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, saying that an American hostage is expected to be released later this week, following a meeting in which he reportedly told Netanyahu that Trump expected all phases of the complex agreement to be honoured, it seems unlikely that Netanyahu will risk torpedoing the deal.
The wide popularity of the ceasefire deal among Israelis, relieved to see their fellow citizens released home week after week, would also seem to militate against a serious crisis that would halt the process.
More likely is that this latest episode is simply an attempt on Netanyahu’s part to show that Israel not Hamas controls the narrative.
Key events
Palestinian prisoners to be released at 5pm local time, say reports
Peter Beaumont
Israeli and Qatari media reports are suggesting that the Palestinians due to be released today as part of the hostage deal will be released at 5pm local time (3pm GMT).
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier ordered that the releases be delayed following chaotic scenes during the release of three Israelis from Gaza.
We have some more images now from the release of the hostages earlier today.
Gadi Moses, Arbel Yehud, and some of the five Thai nationals are seen being led through a crowd before being handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza.
What we know about Israel’s decision to delay release of Palestinian prisoners
Peter Beaumont
Our senior international reporter writes from Jerusalem
Israel’s decision to delay the release of Palestinians held in its prisons, who had been due to be exchanged for three Israelis held in Gaza, is the latest crisis to hit the fragile ceasefire deal. How serious it is, is another question.
The ostensible reason for the delay was the chaotic crowd scenes in two locations in Gaza, during the release of the three Israelis today, one held by Hamas and two by Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
As in previous releases Hamas has gone out of its way to stage-manage the optics of the release, complete with a military uniform provided for female soldier Agam Berger, stages, banners, the setting – Khan Younis, close to home of the late Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and the ruined Jabalia refugee camp.
Inevitably the releases were accompanied by scores of armed men escorting the released Israelis to be handed over to the Red Cross for repatriation.
The messaging has not been lost on Israeli and international observers. Hamas and PIJ, despite their decimation during 15 months of war, are keen to show they still exist and are able to put on a show of force with Israeli citizens at the centre.
Politically it makes the promises of Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu of a “total victory” against Hamas ring hollow.
All of which has led to this new – and probably temporary crisis – as, in the midst of the releases in Gaza, Netanyahu put out a statement condemning the scenes.
“I view with utmost severity the shocking scenes during the release of our hostages. This is additional proof of the inconceivable brutality of the Hamas terrorist organization.
“I demand that the mediators make certain that such terrible scenes do not recur, and guarantee the safety of our hostages. Whoever dares to harm our hostages will pay the price.”
A little later his office briefed media that the release of Palestinians under the deal would be delayed until the hostages safe release was “guaranteed.”
The reality is that this is a largely manufactured crisis in a deal where Israel has tried hard to control the optics, not least around the release of Palestinians whose families have been warned not to celebrate in public.
But with US president Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, saying that an American hostage is expected to be released later this week, following a meeting in which he reportedly told Netanyahu that Trump expected all phases of the complex agreement to be honoured, it seems unlikely that Netanyahu will risk torpedoing the deal.
The wide popularity of the ceasefire deal among Israelis, relieved to see their fellow citizens released home week after week, would also seem to militate against a serious crisis that would halt the process.
More likely is that this latest episode is simply an attempt on Netanyahu’s part to show that Israel not Hamas controls the narrative.
Emma Graham-Harrison
A spokesperson for Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said:
“The prime minister and the minister of defence have instructed to delay the release of the terrorists until the mediators guarantee the safe exit of the hostages in the next releases.”
The statement was issued while Netanyahu and Ddefence minister, Israel Katz, were meeting with the US envoy to the Middle East, the spokesperson added.
Norway says sending $24m to Unrwa after Israel ban
The Norwegian government said on Thursday that it would contribute $24m to the UN agency that helps takes care of Palestinian refugees, the same day that Israel banned the group from operating on Israeli territory.
“Gaza is in ruins, and Unrwa’s help is more necessary than ever,” Norwegian foreign minister, Espen Barth Eide, said in a statement, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).
He said:
It is extremely dramatic for Palestine that Israeli laws come into force that in practice can prevent Unrwa from working.”
Israel halts release of Palestinian prisoners – report
Peter Beaumont
The Times of Israel is reporting that Israel has halted the release of Palestinian security prisoners set to be freed in a protest against the scenes of chaos surrounding the release of Arbel Yehoud, Gadi Moses, and five Thai nationals.
The report says the prisoners were on the buses ready to be released when they ordered off.
Seven hostages released in Gaza on Thursday are back on Israeli soil where the two Israelis among them will be reunited with their families, the Israeli military said.
“A short while ago, accompanied by IDF (army) and ISA (security agency) forces, the seven returning hostages crossed the border into Israeli territory,” the military said, adding that the two Israeli hostages will be reunited with their families and the five Thai hostages will be met by Thai officials.
Israel publishes names of five freed Thai hostages
Israel issued the names of five Thai hostages freed by Palestinian militants on Thursday in Gaza as part of an ongoing ceasefire deal with Israel, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP).
The Thai nationals are: Watchara Sriaoun, Pongsak Tanna, Sathian Suwannakham, Surasak Lamnau, and Bannawat Saethao, according to the Israeli prime minister’s office.
The family of a Thai farm worker held for over a year in Gaza wept with relief on Thursday as he was freed in a hostage-prisoner exchange between Israel and Hamas, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Five Thais were freed along with three Israelis held by Hamas as part of a ceasefire deal aimed at ending the Gaza war. When Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October 2023, 31 Thais were abducted, with 23 released by the end of that year and two confirmed dead in May.
“It is confirmed everyone, my son did not die. Thank you God,” Wiwwaeo Sriaoun said as she heard the confirmation that her son Watchara Sriaoun was among those freed.
“I will hug him when I see him. I want to see if his health is OK, I am worried about his health,” she added between sobs. “Thank you, thank you God he did not died. We trust in God.”
About 10 family members had gathered to support Wiwwaeo as she waiting for news at the modest house on the family rubber farm in the north-east Udon Thani region.
Watchara was among the six Thai hostages still held in Gaza, but when the detainee exchange was announced on Wednesday there was no detail on which of the six Thais would be freed.
Hailing from the poor, rural Udon Thani, Watchara moved to Israel three years ago to work as a farmer for better wages.
Before her son’s release was confirmed, Wiwwaeo spent the day watching news channels on a tablet computer hoping for good news.
“Come, come home back to your father, mother and daughter,” she said as she watched.
Wiwwaeo told AFP:
My friend called around 10 pm and said the ambassador told her five Thais will be released, and my friend said my son could be one. I could not sleep from then until now. I was up until 3am and my husband and I went out for rubber tapping and since then I have been monitoring the news.”
Eight people released by Hamas as part of ceasefire deal
Here is a summary of today’s hostage-prisoner exchange as part of the Gaza ceasefire:
-
Hamas-led militants released eight hostages on Thursday – three Israelis (Agam Berger, Arbel Yehoud and Gadi Moses) and five Thai nationals. Female Israeli soldier Agam Berger, was freed in northern Gaza first. Hours later, a chaotic scene unfolded as thousands of people pressed around a handover site in the southern Gaza City of Khan Younis, in front of the destroyed home of slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar to witness the seven other hostages being handed over.
-
Israel is expected to release 110 Palestinian prisoners on Thursday. Of the people expected to be released from prisons in Israel, 30 are serving life sentences after being convicted of deadly attacks against Israelis. Zakaria Zubeidi, a former leader of a Palestinian militant group jailed for attacks that killed several Israelis is reported to be one of the prisoners to be released today.
-
Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, criticised what he described as “shocking scenes” during the handover. “I view with great severity the shocking scenes during the release of our hostages. This is yet another proof of the unimaginable cruelty of the Hamas terrorist organization,” Netanyahu said in a statement.
-
US president Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, visited Hostage Square in Tel Aviv as the crowd waited for confirmation that Gadi Moses had been handed to the Red Cross. Witkoff went for a meeting in a public library beyond, where the families of hostages have a room they use for meetings – but there is no confirmation he met any of them. He had earlier met the four female soldiers freed on Saturday.
Israel army says seven freed hostages in its custody
Israel’s army have confirmed that the seven freed hostages are now in its custody.
“The seven returning hostages are currently being accompanied by… special forces and ISA (Israel Security Agency) forces on their return to Israeli territory, where they will undergo an initial medical assessment,” the military said, referring to two Israeli hostages and five Thais who were held in Gaza.
Israel’s Netanyahu criticises ‘shocking scenes’ during hostage release
Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has criticised what he described as “shocking scenes” during the handover of seven hostages on Thursday, including two Israelis, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP).
“I view with great severity the shocking scenes during the release of our hostages. This is yet another proof of the unimaginable cruelty of the Hamas terrorist organization,” Netanyahu said in a statement, after television images showed gunmen struggling to control large crowds who had gathered to witness the handover.
“I demand that the mediators ensure such horrific scenes do not recur and guarantee the safety of our hostages,” Netanyahu added. “Whoever dares to harm our hostages will pay the price.”
Here is the statement from the Israeli military in regards to the report earlier that seven hostages – two Israelis and five Thai nationals – had been handed over to the Red Cross (see 11.27am GMT).
“According to information communicated by the Red Cross, seven hostages, including two Israelis and five foreign nationals, were transferred to them and are on their way toward IDF (army) and ISA (security agency) forces in the Gaza Strip,” the military said.
The two Israeli hostages to be freed were Gadi Moses and Arbel Yehoud. Five Thais were also to be released.
Preparations have been under way for the release of Palestinians prisoners as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal. Here are some images via the newswires:
Emma Graham-Harrison
Reporting from Tel Aviv:
US president Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, has just visited Hostage Square as the crowd waited for confirmation that Gadi Moses had been handed to the Red Cross.
Several, when they realised who was there, raced to pay personal tribute to Witkoff. “Thank you for freeing the hostages, thank you to Mr Trump,” one shouted.
Witkoff went for a meeting in a public library beyond, where the families of hostages have a room they use for meetings – but there is no confirmation he met any of them.
He had earlier met the four female soldiers freed on Saturday. He’s now left in a convoy.
Israeli army says Red Cross confirms it has seven hostages – two Israelis and five Thai nationals
The Israeli army says the Red Cross has confirmed that it has seven hostages – two Israelis and five Thai nationals.
More details soon …
Top Palestinian militant to be freed in Israel prisoner exchange
Zakaria Zubeidi, a former leader of a Palestinian militant group jailed for attacks that killed several Israelis, will be released on Thursday as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Zubeidi, 49, rose to prominence during the second intifada, a Palestinian uprising in the early 2000s, becoming one of the most well-known militant leaders in Jenin and its refugee camp in the occupied West Bank.
It was during the uprising that Zubeidi’s mother was shot and killed when the Israeli army raided the camp, reports AFP.
He is known by Israeli security services as the man behind several deadly, high-profile attacks against Israelis.
The Israeli army has released pictures of Agam Berger being reunited with her parents:
Freed Israeli soldier, Agam Berger, is on her way to hospital, said Israel’s military, where she will undergo a medical assessment.
“The returning hostage, IDF soldier Agam Berger, together with her parents, just took off aboard an Israeli air force helicopter to make her way to the hospital where she will receive medical treatment,” the military said in a statement.
Here is a video of Berger being released earlier: