Hamas criticizes Israel for delaying Palestinian prisoner release in hostage deal

Hamas has criticized Israel for delaying the release of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for six Israeli hostages. The group informed mediators Egypt and Qatar about the situation, warning that Israel may lose mediation support if the agreement is violated. The release of over 600 Palestinian prisoners has not started, despite Hamas handing over the sixth Israeli hostage to the International Committee of the Red Cross. In past exchanges, prisoner releases occurred shortly after hostages were returned. Israeli media reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is holding security consultations before proceeding with the prisoner release. The first phase of the ceasefire is set to end in a week, with discussions on the next phase reportedly not yet started.