An Israeli military judge on Tuesday ordered the release of 21 Palestinian Hamas officials detained in a dragnet launched after a soldier was abducted by gunmen in the Gaza Strip, an army spokesman said.
A lawyer for the detainees said the release roster issued by Ofer Military Court included at least three Palestinian cabinet ministers and a lawmaker. But implementation of the ruling was deferred until Thursday so prosecutors could appeal.
“Twenty-one Hamas officials are to be released, but this has been put on hold for 48 hours so the prosecution can file challenges,” an army spokesman said, adding that a successful appeal would put the release on hold.
Israeli forces took at least 30 Hamas officials, among them Palestinian cabinet ministers and lawmakers including parliament Speaker Aziz Dweik, into custody after Corporal Gilad Shalit was seized in a June 25 border raid.
Israel said the detainees were suspected of offences linked to Hamas' role in spearheading a 6-year-old Palestinian revolt. But Palestinians accused Israel of gathering “bargaining chips” to force Shalit’s release.
A lawyer representing some of the detainees, Osama al-Saadi, said he expected the Hamas officials to be released on bail, raising the prospect of their future prosecution by Israel.
The army spokesman had no immediate comment on the terms of the release.
Hamas, an Islamic group whose charter calls for Israel’s destruction, trounced the long-dominant and more moderate Fatah faction in Palestinian elections last January, prompting an aid embargo by Western donor nations.
In a bid to break the diplomatic deadlock, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, the Fatah leader, announced on Monday that a coalition government would be formed with Hamas.
But Israel and the United States remained skeptical pending clarification of whether the new administration would recognize the Jewish state and renounce violence, preconditions set for restoring aid.
A Hamas spokesman said the group had no intention of recognizing Israel, and Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, a Hamas leader, said the new government would not negotiate with Israel.
