Israeli police to shut down celebrations for freed Palestinian terrorists
"My instructions are clear: there are to be no expressions of joy," said Ben-Gvir during a situational assessment with police and prison service officials.
Representative image
TEL AVIV: Ahead of an imminent prisoner exchange, Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir on Thursday instructed the police to shut down celebrations for Palestinian terrorists returning to their homes.
"My instructions are clear: there are to be no expressions of joy," said Ben-Gvir during a situational assessment with police and prison service officials. "Expressions of joy are equivalent to backing terrorism, victory celebrations give backing to those human scum, for those Nazis."
Prison officials were likewise instructed to crack down on celebrations inside the jails. Israel and Hamas are now exchanging lists of abductees and imprisoned terrorists ahead of a partial prisoner exchange and temporary ceasefire brokered by Qatar.
Details of the agreement are being finalized in Doha and a formal announcement is expected later today. Until then, fighting continues in the Gaza Strip. Under the terms of the ceasefire agreement, 150 Palestinian prisoners and 50 Israeli hostages -- primarily women and children -- will be released in stages over a four-day period. Israel published a list of 300 Palestinian prisoners of whom 150 will be freed. Israeli terror victims have a 24-hour window to file legal petitions to the Supreme Court.
While some of the Palestinians aren't associated with any specific terror group, many are affiliated with Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. The released Palestinians will be allowed to return to their previous residences.
Palestinians in eastern Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria are preparing celebrations to welcome the terrorists home. In January, Defense Minister Yoav Galant revoked travel permits for three Palestinian Authority officials who participated in a celebration for the release of Karim Younis, one of the longest-serving prisoners jailed for terror.
The three had travelled to the Younis family's home in 'Ara, south of Haifa. Younis and his cousin, Maher, killed Cpl Avraham Bromberg in 1980 as he was on his way to an army base in the Golan. Younis was greeted by large crowds in 'Ara. The police's failure to prevent the celebration prompted Ben-Gvir to order an investigation into how the festivities were allowed to occur.
At least 1,200 people were killed in Hamas's attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Another 240 men, women, children and soldiers were taken back to Gaza as hostages. Some people remain unaccounted for as Israeli authorities continue to identify bodies and search for human remains.
