Hamas' Release of Wrong Body During Palestinian Prisoner Exchange Agreement Violates Ceasefire – Benjamin Netanyahu

Hamas' Release of Wrong Body During Palestinian Prisoner Exchange Agreement Violates Ceasefire – Benjamin Netanyahu

Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed on Friday that Hamas’ release of the wrong body constitutes a "cruel and brutal violation" of the ceasefire agreement. According to Hamas, they had released the body of an Israeli mother, Shiri Bivas, but it was later revealed that the body was not hers.

This incident has raised new doubts about the future of the ceasefire agreement, which has gone through multiple phases over the past 15 months of conflict. However, for the time being, the next steps of the ceasefire agreement – the release of six Israeli citizens on Saturday and, in exchange, the release of over a hundred Palestinian prisoners – will proceed as planned.

Hamas, in a statement, suggested that the mix-up with the body was likely due to an Israeli airstrike, where Israeli and Palestinian prisoners were present together. They added that they would "carefully review" the matter.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he did not wish to implement his plan, which would place Gaza under U.S. control and rebuild it as a tourist destination, forcibly displacing Palestinians. Netanyahu had welcomed this plan, but it was fully rejected by the Palestinians and Arab countries.

Hamas’ military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, has stated that they are prepared to release six Israeli prisoners on Saturday.

Netanyahu has vowed to take revenge for the wrongful release of the body, stating that Hamas must pay the full price for this mistake.

Additionally, in place of the release of Palestinian prisoners, the six Israeli prisoners will be freed, and Hamas has stated that it will release four more bodies next week.

At the end of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, tensions in Gaza may escalate further.