Hamas official Basem Naim said Sunday that his group will not engage in negotiations with Israel until the release of Palestinian prisoners held by Tel Aviv.
Israel was scheduled to let go 620 prisoners on Saturday under the first phase of a Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement in return for six captives freed by Hamas, but the Israeli government delayed the releases citing what it called “humiliating hostage handovers.”"There will be no talks with the (Israeli) enemy through mediators before the release of the prisoners agreed upon in swap for the six Israeli captives,” Hamas leader Mahmoud Mardawi said in a statement."The mediators must oblige the enemy to implement the agreement,” he added.Early Sunday, Hamas condemned Israel's delay in releasing the Palestinian prisoners as a “violation” of a Gaza ceasefire and prisoner swap agreement.The Gaza ceasefire and prisoner swap deal took effect last month, halting Israel’s genocidal war, which has killed more than 48,300 victims, mostly women and children, and left the enclave in ruins.The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.