Israeli National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has ordered prison authorities to quash attempts to celebrate the expected release of Palestinian prisoners once the truce comes into effect.
Under the agreement, 150 Palestinians held in Israeli jails are to be freed in exchange for 50 captives held in Gaza.
Itamar Ben-Gvir also told police to use “an iron fist” against attempts to celebrate prisoner releases.
“My instructions are clear: There are to be no expressions of joy,” said the far-right Minister.
Ben-Gvir said that the celebration is the equivalent of “terrorism,” likening it to supporting what Hamas was doing.
Sara Khairat, a reporter said, “This is something that Israel has often been accusing Palestinians of, which is exactly why some of them were detained in the first place.”
“If they showed support for those in Gaza, they would be accused of supporting Hamas,” Khairat added.
“Ben-Gvir also recently visited one of the Israeli prisons and ensured that the Israeli national anthem was playing on loudspeakers for the prisoners to hear. There have been videos showing Israeli forces forcing detainees to listen to that, which in other countries is a form of torture to some degree.”
Sara Khairat
US and Israeli officials have stated that the hostage exchange and humanitarian pause between Israel and Hamas will not take effect before Friday, dashing the hopes of families who thought captives may be freed earlier and prolonging the suffering of Palestinians under bombardment in Gaza.
Exact Time For Truce To Be Announced
Meanwhile, Qatar disclosed that the exact time of the truce will be announced “within hours.”
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari told a news agency that talks were “continuing in a positive way.”
He added that Qatar is working with both sides, as well as Egypt and the U.S, to guarantee that the truce begins quickly and that everything is provided to ensure that both sides commit to the deal.
Adel Abdel Ghafar, of the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, opined that it is important, that the truce deal goes ahead as it also serves as a “trust-building measure” between the two sides.
“This could actually be built upon in the future to something more permanent and something more durable,” Abdel Ghafar said.
Nonetheless, he noted that the humanitarian aid that would enter Gaza during the expected window of truce would be “only just a trickle of what’s actually needed.”
“What is actually needed in the longer term is to allow in more trucks and more aid to help the population.”
READ ALSO: Israeli Minister Calls Israel-Hamas Truce A “Dangerous Precedent”
