A spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Newsmax on Monday that "there's no equivalency" with the people being exchanged between Israel and Hamas.
Spokesperson Tal Heinrich, during an appearance on "National Report," said Israeli hostages being returned during a four-day pause in fighting are innocent victims of Hamas terrorists' attack on Oct. 7.
Meanwhile, Palestinians being exchanged are women and children who attempted to kill Israelis.
"There's no equivalency here. Israel is getting back innocent women and children who were stolen who were forcibly taken from their communities after witnessing the worst atrocities committed by Hamas death squads," Heinrich said. "They spent 50 days in captivity in Gaza in terrible conditions, and there are certain concerns for their mental physical health as they, right now, come back to Israel gradually.
"Now, we have released prisoners, Palestinian prisoners. Women and minors who have been involved in terrorist activities. They have attempted to murder Israelis, to stab Israelis, to burn Israelis, threw Molotov cocktails on Israelis."
Heinrich said that's why the Palestinians have received a hero's welcome upon being released.
"It's really remarkable. Just look at the celebrations and how these terrorists are being welcomed, the ones that we released, in some towns in the West Bank," she said. "It tells you a lot about what we're dealing with. This mindset of glorifying martyrs, glorifying terrorism, glorifying violence against the Jewish people — this is sickness."
Heinrich said Israel awaited the expected fourth group of hostages to be released to bring the total to 50 freed Israeli hostages.
"We hope to see all of them home as per the deal, and we hope to see more hostages being released," she said. "We are very determined to bring every hostage home.
"We said that we will defeat Hamas, and bring home the hostages. These two, these two missions that we have set — these two goals that we have set for this operation, they go hand in hand."
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