Israel Delays Release of 46 Palestinian Prisoners Amid Gaza Ceasefire Deal
The release, part of the seventh batch in the prisoner exchange, was postponed as Israel verified the identities of four returned Israeli bodies.
Watan-The Israeli occupation forces released 46 prisoners, including children and women, today, Thursday, after a deliberate delay. This release is part of the seventh batch of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza and the prisoner exchange, following the release of hundreds of prisoners last night.
According to Palestinian media, a bus carrying freed female and child prisoners arrived in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip. Video footage showed a large bus escorted by a Red Cross vehicle, with a large crowd of Palestinians gathering to welcome them.
Earlier today, Thursday, the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club reported that Israel postponed the release of 46 Palestinian prisoners until identity checks were conducted on the bodies of four Israelis it received on Wednesday evening.
Dispute Over Prisoner Release Numbers in Gaza Ceasefire Deal
There is conflicting information regarding the number of prisoners released in the seventh batch last night. Amani Sarahneh, the media officer for the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club, told Anadolu Agency that the occupation forces released 602 prisoners early Thursday. However, Nahed Al-Fakhouri, the director of the Prisoners’ Media Office, stated that Israel released 596 Palestinian prisoners on Thursday.
The release of the seventh batch of prisoners followed Hamas handing over the bodies of four detainees. The first phase of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza began on January 19, 2025, and consists of three stages, each lasting 42 days, with negotiations required for the next phase before the current one concludes.
This phase stipulated the release of 33 Israeli detainees, both alive and deceased. Palestinian factions have already fulfilled this requirement, releasing 25 detainees alive and eight bodies in eight separate batches.
In exchange, Israel has released 1,135 Palestinian prisoners during the first six batches, including dozens serving life sentences. Israel was supposed to release 620 Palestinian prisoners in the seventh batch last Saturday. However, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu obstructed the process, citing protests over the ceremonies Hamas organizes when handing over Israeli detainees and bodies.
