WhatsappThe Israeli military court extended the detention of the head of Islamic Jihad in the West Bank, Bassam Saadi, for six days.
Islamic Jihad in Gaza responded by threatening to renew attacks unless Saadi is released. The ceasefire which capped three days of fighting between Israel and the Islamic Jihad in Gaza is still considered to be fragile with both sides already expecting it to collapse.
Part of the ceasefire terms that Egypt negotiated between Israel and the Islamic Jihad was for Israel to release both Bassam Saadi and another security prisoner Khalil Awawdeh. However, this appears to contradict what the Israeli government promised it would do.
“I don’t want to simply promise they won’t be released. We don’t hold people in prison for nothing,” Defense Minister Benny Gantz told Channel 12 news in an interview.
It doesn’t appear that Israel is ready to release the two prisoners, pushing the ball back into Islamic Jihad’s court.
