Israel has postponed a planned exchange of Palestinian prisoners in response to what it deems Hamas's disrespectful treatment of Israeli hostages. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office condemned Hamas for orchestrating propaganda displays during previous hostage releases, citing the parading of captives and forced participation in staged events.
The exchange, originally scheduled to release 620 Palestinian prisoners, was delayed after Hamas fighters were reported to have exploited released Israeli hostages for propaganda purposes. Several hostages were made to pose with armed militants, wear fake army uniforms, and perform actions like kissing militants and blowing kisses to crowds.
One particularly disturbing incident involved placing four coffins before a caricature of Prime Minister Netanyahu with a banner accusing him and the Israeli army of killing the individuals. Israel's decision to delay the prisoner release was met with criticism from Hamas, which accused Israel of violating the ceasefire agreement and using the hostage treatment as a pretext.
Israeli Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, strongly condemned Hamas's actions, characterizing them as "evil and depraved." He highlighted the terrorist organization's disregard for human life, particularly Israeli and Jewish lives. The United Nations also criticized the incident involving the coffins, emphasizing the importance of treating the deceased and their families with dignity under international law.
