Why it matters:
This development marks the seventh phase of a prisoner swap that will see over 600 Palestinian prisoners freed, who are in Israeli prisons under inhumane conditions for life or long-term sentences.
The big picture:
The prisoner swap signals a decisive shift in power dynamics. The resistance front is gaining the upper hand, as evidenced by the Israeli regime's need to negotiate for the release of its captives—contradicting its earlier propaganda that insisted on a military solution during the initial days of its genocidal campaign in Gaza.
What they’re saying:
Hamas has firmly rejected the Israeli military’s claim that one of the four bodies handed over is misidentified. The group denounced Netanyahu’s remarks as a “PR stunt” and emphasized its commitment to the terms of the exchange agreement. Hamas stated it is investigating the matter, stating that Shiri Bibas’s remains were mixed with other bodies after an Israeli air raid, and called on Tel Aviv to return the body it says belongs to a Palestinian woman killed in airstrikes.
Key points:
- Six Israeli captives—Eliya Cohen, Omer Shem-Tov, Omer Wenkert, Tal Shoham, Avera Mengistu, and Hisham al-Sayed—are set for release.
- Israeli military claims that the remains attributed to Shiri Bibas are “anonymous” and asks for the return of the “correct body.”
Go deeper:
Hamas Secures Major Prisoner Exchange Despite Israeli Pressure
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