Israel postpones release of Palestinian prisoners after hostages freed

Israel has delayed the release of 620 Palestinian prisoners, initially set to follow the release of six Israeli hostages. The delay is due to concerns over future hostage releases and the nature of handover ceremonies. The Israeli government stated that the prisoner release would not proceed until the next hostages' safety is assured. This decision raises uncertainty about the ongoing ceasefire. The six hostages freed included individuals taken during the October 7, 2023, attacks. Their release involved staged ceremonies criticized for their treatment of hostages, while Hamas accused Israel of breaching the ceasefire agreement.