Israel announced on Sunday that the release of 620 Palestinian terrorists from Israeli prisons has been delayed due to Hamas’s repeated violations of the deal, including the humiliation of Israeli hostages at cruel propaganda ceremonies.

The terrorists due to be released, including 71 sentenced to life imprisonment and 47 previously freed in the Shalit deal and rearrested, had already boarded the buses in preparation for their release. Following the decision, they were returned to their cells after sitting on the buses for 13 hours.

A statement from the Prime Minister’s Office stated: “In light of Hamas’s repeated violations, including the ceremonies that humiliate our hostages and the cynical exploitation of our hostages for propaganda purposes, it has been decided to delay the release of terrorists that was planned for yesterday until the release of the next hostages has been assured, and without the degrading ceremonies.”

Over the past few days, Hamas has carried out heinous violations of the deal, including initially bringing the body of a Gazan woman instead of Shiri Bibas, H’yd; holding a humiliating release ceremony on Shabbos during which one hostage was forced to kiss the heads of his captors; and forcing two hostages to watch the ceremony and beg for their lives on camera.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)