Israel will prevent ‘demonstrations of joy’ over Palestinian release

Israeli authorities announced this Friday (17) that measures will be implemented to “avoid any public demonstrations of joy” over the release of Palestinians detained in Israeli prisons, if the ceasefire agreement between the country and Hamas is fulfilled.

What happened

Newly approved pact provides for “exchange” of Israeli hostages for imprisoned Palestinians. “The Israeli prison service is preparing for the release of Palestinian detainees under the terms of the agreement, which has received the green light from the Israeli security cabinet,” the Israel Prison Authority said in a statement. Initially, around a thousand Palestinians must be released, in exchange for 33 of the 98 Israeli hostages.

Head of the penitentiary service in Israel, General Kobi Yakobi issued “instructions to prevent any public demonstration of joy” in Israeli regions following the release of Palestinians. According to information from AFP, the prisoners to be released in the first phase of the agreement, which will last 42 days from Sunday (19), will be gathered before their release in the Ofer prison, in the West Bank, and in the Shikma detention center, in Ascalon, in southern Israel. In these and other regions of the country, demonstrations will be restricted, according to Yakobi.