Israel postpones release of over 600 Palestinian prisoners, accuses Hamas of violations. Hamas says Israel is using 'stalling tactics'. Germany evacuates building tied to foiled attack on Israeli embassy in Berlin. Earlier in the day, Hamas released six Israeli hostages as part of ceasefire deal
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it will delay the release of the next group of Palestinian prisoners who were due for release on Saturday.
As per the first round of the Gaza ceasefire deal, Hamas is supposed to release groups of hostages from Gazain exchange for Palestinian prisoners and detainees held by Israel.
Netanyahu's office said the release of Palestinian prisoners is postponed "until the release of the next hostages is guaranteed, and without the humiliating ceremonies."
Hamas has paraded Israeli hostages in Gaza to Palestinian onlookers several times before handing them to the Red Cross, with the Red Cross then bringing the Israelis back to Israel. The ceremony has been condemned in Israel and by the UN.
Hamas earlier in the day released six Israeli hostages. Israel was supposed to release 620 Palestinian prisoners in exchange, but they were never released.
Hamas says Israel's prisoner delay 'a blatant violation' of truce
The militant group Hamas reacted to Israel's delay in releasing Palestinian prisoners in return for the earlier handover of six Israeli hostages.
"The [Israeli] occupation's failure to comply with the release of the seventh batch of prisoners in the exchange deal at the agreed-upon time constitutes a blatant violation of the agreement," Hamas spokesman Abdel Latif Al-Qanou said in a statement, accusing Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of "procrastination and stalling tactics."
Hamas said it had informed mediators Egypt and Qatar about the delay. The militant group warned that Israel would no longer find mediators for the conflict if it violated the agreement and refused to release the prisoners.
Israel did not initially explain the reasons for the delay. Sources told media outlets that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wanted to hold security consultations on how to proceed before the release.
Germany evacuates building linked to foiled Israeli embassy attack
Police in Germany evacuated an apartment building in connection with a suspected planned attack on Israel's embassy in Berlin.
A police spokeswoman said a suspicious object was removed from the building in the eastern city of Potsdam, near the German capital.
The spokeswoman said the object would be neutralized in a separate location.
The search came one day after an 18-year-old Russian national, believed to originate from Chechnya, was detained at Berlin Brandenburg Airport as he attempted to leave the country.
Security sources have told DPA news agency that the man is suspected of wanting to join the "Islamic State" group and of planning an attack on the Israeli embassy in Berlin.
Police have not confirmed whether the apartment being searched was the man's home.
