Israel released 110 Palestinian prisoners after delaying the process in anger at the swarming crowds at one of the hostage handover points.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the sight of their chaotic handover was shocking and threatened death to anyone hurting hostages.
Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz said they had ordered a delay in the releases of the prisoners until the safe exit of their hostages in the next phases is assured.
According to the prime minister’s office, later mediators had committed to ensuring the safe passage of hostages in future handovers.
It was gathered that later on Thursday, buses arrived in the West Bank city of Ramallah carrying some of the 110 Palestinian prisoners to be released as part of the phased agreement that halted more than 15 months of war in the coastal territory on January 19.
Arogidigba Global Journal reports that cheering crowds met the prisoners were in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territory, with men chanting “we sacrifice our souls and blood for you.”
Zakaria Zubaidi, one of the leaders of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas’ rival the Fatah group, was the most prominent Palestinian prisoner to be released.
He escaped prison in 2021 with three other inmates but was then recaptured.