section_path: Ceasefire and hostage/prisoner exchanges/Eighth Hamas release; delay by Israel (22 February)
section_name: Eighth Hamas release; delay by Israel (22 February)
paragraph_text: Eighth Hamas release; delay by Israel (22 February)
  
  On 21 February, Hamas said that they will release Israeli hostage Eliya Cohen, American-Israeli hostage Omer Shem-Tov, Israeli hostage Omer Wenkert, Israeli Austrian hostage Tal Shoham, Ethiopian Israeli hostage Avera Mengistu and Bedouin Arab Israeli hostage Hisham al-Sayed. Al-Sayed and Mengistu, both with history of mental illness, entered Gaza of their own accord, and were held hostage by Hamas for over a decade. They were released on 22 February.
  
  Israel refused to release 620 Palestinian prisoners on 22 February, despite the deal stipulating their release; Israel gave the reason for doing so as due to "repeated violations by Hamas — including the ceremonies that demean our hostages and the cynical use of our hostages for propaganda purposes". The Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said that the delay will continue "until the next release of hostages is guaranteed, and without the degrading ceremonies". The White House backed Israel's decision to delay the release of the Palestinian prisoners and said: "Given Hamas' barbaric treatment of the hostages, including the hideous parade of the Bibas children's coffins through the streets of Gaza, Israel's decision to delay the release of prisoners is an appropriate response".