BREAKING: Israel suspends prisoner release after shocking footage from hostage Arbel Yehud's release
Netanyahu is finally showing his backbone. It's about time.
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JERUSALEM — Israel suspended its scheduled release of Palestinian prisoners Wednesday after footage emerged showing Israeli hostage Arbel Yehud being forced to walk through an extremely chaotic, hostile and out of control crowd in Gaza, prompting immediate diplomatic protests and a stern warning from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The video, which sparked widespread outrage, shows Yehud visibly distressed as she's escorted from a Hamas vehicle in front of deceased Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar's house. Red Cross vehicles struggled to advance through narrow alleyways packed with what officials described as a frenzied mob.
"I view the shocking scenes during the release of our hostages with great severity," Netanyahu said in a statement. "This is further proof of the unfathomable cruelty of the Hamas terrorist organization." The prime minister demanded mediators ensure such scenes are not repeated, warning that "anyone who dares to harm our hostages - their blood is on their own head."
Israeli officials have sent urgent messages to Egyptian and Qatari mediators demanding intervention. According to Suleiman Masawada of the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad insisted on bringing the release vehicle close to Sinwar's house rather than conducting a direct handover to Red Cross officials.
"We have conveyed a severe message and suspended the release of prisoners from jail at this stage," the Government Secretary announced, marking an immediate response to the footage.
The incident threatens to derail the broader hostage-prisoner exchange agreement that has seen multiple transfers in recent days. Israeli political sources, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation, indicated the suspension would remain in place pending guarantees about future transfer procedures.
Yehud and six other hostages were eventually evacuated by Red Cross vehicles and IDF forces toward the border crossing. Their release marks day 482 of captivity for those taken during the October 7 attack.
The suspension of prisoner releases comes at a critical moment in the ceasefire negotiations, with mediators working to prevent a complete breakdown of the exchange process. Qatar and Egypt have not yet publicly responded to Israel's demands for stricter controls over future transfers.
Violent protests broke out near the city of Ramallah today after delays in the scheduled prisoner release, reports Doron Kadosh. The unrest occurred in Beitunia, the designated release location, where protesters hurled stones at Israeli security forces, who responded with crowd control measures.
The situation escalated when security forces shot and wounded a protester in the lower body after he allegedly attempted to set fire to a container in the middle of the road.
Michal Shemesh added that inmates who had already boarded transport buses at Ofer Prison were ordered to return to the facility following a directive from political officials.
Reporter Roi Yanovsky confirmed all buses containing hostages remain within the compound. Sources indicate the hostages will be returned to holding cells if release arrangements are not finalized soon.
The Prime Minister's spokesperson announced that the planned prisoner release will be suspended until authorities receive guarantees for the safe transfer of hostages in future exchanges.