“Shocking scenes” in release hostages through Hamas, so Israel is suspended from Palestinian prisoners

In Khan Younis, seven hostages were transferred to the Red Cross on Thursday afternoon. It concerns two Israelis and five foreigners, the Israeli army said. The transfer to the Red Cross was very chaotic. On TV images you could see how the seven had to go through a large crowd of Palestinians before they reached the people of the Red Cross. The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the “shocking scenes” in a press release.

The first hostage to be released in Khan Younis was Arbel Yehud, a 29-year-old Israeli woman who also has German nationality. Gadi Moses, an 80-year-old who also has German-Israeli nationality, and five Thai workers should also be among the released hostages. The Cabinet of the Israeli Prime Minister also announced their names. It is about Watchara Sriaoun, Pongsak Tanna, Sathian Suwannakham, Surasak Lamnau and Bannawat Saetha.

According to Tel Aviv, Yehud had to be released last Saturday. The agreement that Hamas and Israel locked, writes that the citizens are first released. Instead, Hamas released four female Israeli soldiers at the end of last week. This Saturday the release of another three hostages is planned.

Earlier on Thursday, the extremist Palestinian organization Hamas in Jabalia, in the north of the Gaza Strip, released the Israeli soldier Agam Berger.

Suspended

In exchange for the three hostages, Israel would release 110 Palestinian prisoners. The Thai workers were released within an agreement between Hamas and Thailand. But the Israeli government stopped the release of the Palestinian prisoners on Thursday afternoon. The Palestinians were already in buses, but the government ordered the prison authority to have the buses turn around. The releases are suspended “until further notice”, reports the military radio.

Only when a safe release of the hostages is guaranteed will Israel release the Palestinians, Prime Minister Netanyahu said. A little later, Israeli and Qatarese media announced that the Palestinians would be released on Thursday. That would be at 5 p.m. (local time).