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SvennoJ on 22 February 2025
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Israeli military vehicles leave Ofer Prison

Al Quds Today, a Palestinian channel, has posted footage of Israeli military vehicles withdrawing from the Ofer Prison near Ramallah after Netanyahu announced his decision to halt the release of Palestinian prisoners.

It’s from Ofer Prison that we saw busloads of prisoners and detainees driven to freedom over the past six successful exchanges.



Translation: Occupation forces withdraw from the vicinity of Ofer Prison, west of Ramallah, after the occupation’s decision to suspend the release of prisoners as part of the exchange deal.

Who were the Palestinians detainees slated for release on Saturday?

  • This was meant to be the seventh and largest release of Palestinians from Israeli prisons since the Israel-Hamas ceasefire came into effect on January 19, with some 620 Palestinians set to be freed in total.
  • It included 445 Palestinians who Israeli forces had arrested from Gaza.
  • Among them were 100 women and minors under the age of 19. Israeli media reported that these women and children were not involved in the October 7 attacks or the fighting in Gaza, prompting activists to accuse Israel of taking them as “bargaining chips”.
  • The list did not include Dr Hussam Abu Safia, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in Gaza and one of some 200 health workers from the Strip who are currently in Israeli detention.


Israel’s delay clearly violates Gaza deal

Stephen Zunes, the director of Middle Eastern Studies at the University of San Francisco, says Netanyahu’s decision to halt the release of Palestinian detainees “is very disturbing”.

“This is a clear violation of the ceasefire deal, along with Israel’s refusal to allow the relief supplies, the tents, the mobile homes, the medical equipment, and other aid that was part of the ceasefire agreement,” he told Al Jazeera.

“The disturbing part is that we know the US will not push Israel to go through with its side of the bargain,” he said. But “without any pressure from the US, Israel does not have much motivation to see through their end of the deal”.

Netanyahu’s decision “has really hurt the trust, whatever trust there was at this point”, Zunes added.

“If Israel does not go through with this part of the bargain, how will they know that Israel will come through with other promises as well, in the later phases of the ceasefire?”