Hamas refuses to continue negotiations until Israel releases prisoners

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Hamas considers Israel's delay in releasing some 600 Palestinian prisoners a "serious violation" of the Gaza ceasefire agreement that makes negotiations on a second phase impossible, a source in the Palestinian Islamist movement said on Tuesday.

Under the truce agreement, Israel was supposed to release the prisoners last weekend , after Hamas returned hostages taken during the October 7, 2023 attack.

But Israel delayed the release because of the treatment of the captives, who were paraded before crowds.

A senior Hamas official told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the militant group had “fully complied with all provisions of the agreements” and that the delay could cause the cease-fire to collapse.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Tuesday apologized on behalf of the state to former hostage Oded Lifshitz during his funeral, after his body was returned as part of the Gaza ceasefire agreement.

“ I regret that in the face of such inhuman cruelty, you were left alone . I regret that I was unable to rescue you and bring you and all your friends home safely, away from the clutches of the killers. I apologize,” the Israeli President said.

The Israeli President stressed the importance of returning the remaining 63 hostages, of which around 30 were killed.

“I will not rest or remain silent until everyone is home,” Herzog promised.

Lifshitz's body was returned as part of the seventh exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian detainees and prisoners, along with those of children Ariel and Kfir Bibas.

The body of Shiri Bibas, his mother, who is of Argentine origin, was returned a day later, as Hamas had initially handed over the body of a woman from Gaza.

Hamas admits body swap in Shiri hostage case

Since then, Israel has not released the 620 Palestinian detainees and prisoners after the return of the four bodies and the release of another six hostages alive on Saturday, February 23, which, according to Hamas, prevents the start of negotiations so that the ceasefire does not end at the end of its first phase, on Saturday.