At Knesset, opposition's Gantz, Liberman blast PM for playing politics at expense of national security, with bus bombing terror plot an example of threat; IDF demands Haredi draft The post Smotrich claims credit for decision to delay release of Palestinian prisoners appeared first on The Times of Israel.

The terror funds served as a reward for the acts of terror they carried out, part of longstanding Palestinian Authority policy, with frozen funds now rerouted to the families of victims

The White House said on Sunday that it supports Israel's decision to delay releasing 600 Palestinian prisoners, citing the "barbaric treatment" of Israeli hostages by Hamas. Delaying the prisoner release is an "appropriate response" to the Palestinian militant group's treatment of the hostages,

Israel says the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners is delayed “until the release of the next hostages has been assured, and without the humiliating ceremonies” at handovers of Israeli captives in Gaza.