Hamas 'strongly condemns' decision to postpone prisoner release over 'humiliating and disgraceful' hostage handovers

Israel's defence minister Israel Katz has said he has "instructed" the military to "prepare for a prolonged stay" in the Occupied West Bank "for the next year".

The IDF launched 'Operation Iron Wall' in the West Bank on 21 January, dismantling settlements - and displacing more than 40,000 Palestinians there.

But now tanks have been confirmed in the city of Jenin - and operations in and around there are gearing up.

Katz said in his statement today that he has instructed troops "not to allow residents and terror to return and grow".

For more on the situation in the West Bank see our 8.45am post.

By Diana Magnay, international correspondent in Jerusalem

There will be many disappointed families, especially in Gaza, this morning. 

Four-hundred-and-forty-five of the 620 prisoners due for release on Saturday were Palestinians detained in the Gaza Strip after7 October.

Images of families waiting out through the night, in the wet and the cold, give some suggestion of the agony and the frustration they must feel. 

Benjamin Netanyahu has delayed the prisoner release because of the "disgraceful ceremonies" staged by Hamas and their "cynical use of captives for propaganda purposes". 

The pain for the families of Evyatar David and Guy Gilbao Dallal must be unbearable too, having to watch their loved ones forced by Hamas to watch the handover of their friends, knowing that their ordeal continues.  

Israel's prime minister is pushing to secure the release of more hostages as part of this phase in the ceasefire. He wants to extend phase one to get his people home without having to commit to a permanent ceasefire or some kind of political solution to the war, which is what phase two would involve. He is pushing his luck as far as he can.

Now it is up to Hamas to make the next move, offer up another hostage release on Netanyahu's terms - or see the ceasefire crumble. 

Both sides violate this ceasefire, both sides push the other to a point just beneath the threshold of where it all unravels. One miscalculation and it will. And as ever, both the hostages and Palestinian civilians in Gaza, at the mercy of the cruel militants who call the shots there, are caught in the middle.

We've been reporting this morning Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to delay the release of 620 Palestinian prisoners over claims of "humiliating and disgraceful" ceremonies for the handover of Israeli hostages.

In his statement late last night he also claimed Hamas's "cynical use of captives for propaganda purposes".

This second claim appears to be in reference to a video that was released by the terror group overnight showing two Israeli hostages Eviatar David and Guy Gilboa Dalal.

The two friends, who were kidnapped together at the Nova music festival on 7 October 2023, are seen in a vehicle close to the stage where five of the six hostages released yesterday were paraded before being set free.

After the ceremonies concluded, the pair seem to have been driven away by militants and returned to captivity.

In the video, which Sky News is not showing as it was filmed under duress, they plea to the camera: "Please please save us so we can get out."

Dalal's father told Israeli broadcaster KAN the clip is "abuse at the highest level" and that it was the first time he had seen proof his son is alive in 16 months.

Hamas disputes that the handover ceremonies are humiliating, as Israel claims, saying they "reflect the humane and dignified treatment of them" (see 7.38am post for more).

Pictures from early on Sunday morning show devastated Palestinians coming to terms with the news Israel has delayed the release of their relatives from prison.

Nadeen, 36, is photographed in Ramallah being comforted as she continues to wait for the release of her brother Ahamd al Seifi, 35, currently being held by the Israelis.

She was among hundreds of families who waited around 16 hours in the cold and wet for the release of their relatives - before the announcement it was being postponed (see 7.20am post for more).

Israel has deployed tanks to the West Bank, expanding Operation Iron Wall, which it launched on 21 January - and claims is an anti-terror operation.

The IDF confirmed a "tank platoon will operate in Jenin as part of the offensive effort" and operations have expanded to "additional villages in the Jenin area".

This is the first time since Israel's Operation Defensive Shield in 2002 that Israeli tanks have entered Jenin - a key Palestinian city in the occupied area.

For context: Violence in the West Bank has escalated with frequent army raids on militant groups, rampages by Jewish settlers in Palestinian villages, and deadly Palestinian street attacks. 

There are regular clashes and riots there - often aggravated by Israeli settlers both threatening and inflicting violence on Palestinians if they do not give up their land - which has been condemned by even the strongest international supporters of Israel, like the US. 

Israel conducts regular raids in the West Bank to arrest or demolish homes of people it deems terrorists.  

We've resumed our live coverage of the Israel-Gaza ceasefire. Follow along here for all the latest throughout the day.

For now, here's a round-up of what's happened in the region in the past 24 hours:

• Six living Israeli hostages were released by Hamas and have arrived safely back in Israel;
• The planned exchange of 620 Palestinian prisoners was delayed by Israel over claims of "ongoing and repeated" Hamas violations;
• Hamas "strongly condemned" the decision, claiming Israel is using what they call "humiliating" hostage handovers as a "false pretext";
• The militant group claimed prisoners had been "assaulted" ahead of the decision, which Israel denied;
• Tens of thousands have gathered in Beirut for the funeral of killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah; 
• The remains of Shiri Bibas were finally returned to Israel on Saturday after outrage over the wrong body being transferred by Hamas.

The Israeli Air Force (IAF) has confirmed it has targeted Hezbollah military sites in Lebanon this morning.

It claimed the site contained "rocket shells and combat equipment".

Hezbollah rocket platforms in southern Lebanon were also attacked, the IAF added, because they "posed a threat to Israeli citizens".

"These terrorist activities by Hezbollah are considered a violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon and pose a threat to Israel and its citizens; the Defence Army will continue to work to remove any threat to the State of Israel," a statement said.

It comes at the same time as the funeral for Hezbollah's former leader, Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in Israeli air attacks last year, which is being held in Beirut this morning ( for more see 7.35am post).

Hamas has just released a statement condemning Israel's decision late yesterday to postpone the release of 620 Palestinian prisoners.

It says Israeli claims that its handover ceremonies are "humiliating" are a "false pretext to evade its obligations".

Ezzat el Rashq, of Hamas's political bureau, added in the statement: "Netanyahu's decision reflects a deliberate attempt to disrupt the agreement, represents a clear violation of its terms, and shows the occupation's lack of reliability in implementing its obligations."

He maintained that the ceremonies do not include any insult to the hostages, "but rather reflect the humane and dignified treatment of them", adding that the "real insult" is what the Palestinian prisoners are subjected to during the release process. 

The hostage handover ceremonies, often presided over by masked gunmen, have been widely condemned by the UN and world leaders.

Tens of thousands of people have gathered in the Lebanese capital of Beirut for the funeral of Hezbollah's former leader, Hassan Nasrallah.

Nasrallah, 64, was killed five months ago when Israel's air force dropped more than 80 bombs on Hezbollah's main operations room - in a major blow for the Iran-backed group.

Nasrallah led Hezbollah for more than 30 years and was also one of its founders.

Officials from around the region, including Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, were expected to attend the funeral at Beirut's main sports stadium.

It is thought to be the largest funeral held in Lebanon in two decades.

Israel has said it is "postponing" the planned release of 620 Palestinian prisoners due to "repeated and ongoing violations by Hamas".

The prisoners were due to be released yesterday – after Hamas militants handed over six living hostages to the Red Cross.

But as night fell, the prisoners had still not been released – and a "security consultation" was held between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and prison officials.

A statement released late on Saturday says: "In light of the repeated and ongoing violations by Hamas—including the disgraceful ceremonies that dishonor the dignity of our abductees and the cynical use of captives for propaganda purposes—it has been decided to postpone the release of the terrorists that was planned for yesterday until the release of the next group of abductees is secured, and without the humiliating ceremonies."

Five of the six hostages freed on Saturday were escorted by masked, armed militants in front of a crowd - a display that the United Nations and others have criticised as cruel after previous handovers.

It was meant to be the largest one-day prisoner release of the first phase of the current Gaza ceasefire.