diff --git a/release/ci/squash_and_merge.py b/release/ci/squash_and_merge.py
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..804b2119cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/release/ci/squash_and_merge.py
@@ -0,0 +1,361 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+import argparse
+import subprocess
+import sys
+import shutil
+import signal
+import contextlib
+import tempfile
+import os
+
+
+def run_command(command: str) -> tuple[int, str, str]:
+  """Run a shell command and return exit code, stdout, and stderr."""
+  process = subprocess.Popen(
+    command,
+    shell=True,
+    stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+    stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
+    text=True
+  )
+  stdout, stderr = process.communicate()
+  return process.returncode, stdout.strip(), stderr.strip()
+
+
+def is_gh_available() -> bool:
+  """Check if GitHub CLI is available."""
+  return shutil.which('gh') is not None
+
+
+def get_current_branch() -> str | None:
+  """Get the name of the current git branch."""
+  code, output, error = run_command("git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD")
+  if code != 0:
+    print(f"Error getting current branch: {error}")
+    return None
+  return output
+
+
+def backup_branch(branch_name: str) -> bool:
+  """Create a backup of the current branch."""
+  backup_name = f"{branch_name}-backup-$(date +%Y%m%d_%H%M%S)"
+  code, _, error = run_command(f"git branch {backup_name}")
+  if code != 0:
+    print(f"Error creating backup branch: {error}")
+    return False
+  print(f"Created backup branch: {backup_name}")
+  return True
+
+
+def get_commit_messages(source_branch: str, target_branch: str) -> list[str] | None:
+  """Get all commit messages between source and target branches."""
+  code, output, error = run_command(f"git log {target_branch}..{source_branch} --format=%B")
+  if code != 0:
+    print(f"Error getting commit messages: {error}")
+    return None
+  return [msg.strip() for msg in output.splitlines() if msg and not msg.startswith('Merge')]
+
+
+def get_pr_info(branch_name: str) -> str | None:
+  """Get PR title using GitHub CLI."""
+  if not is_gh_available():
+    print("Warning: GitHub CLI not found. Install it to auto-fetch PR titles:")
+    print("  https://cli.github.com/")
+    return None
+
+  # Try to get PR info using gh cli
+  code, output, error = run_command(f"gh pr view --json title --jq .title {branch_name}")
+  if code != 0:
+    print(f"No open PR found for branch '{branch_name}'")
+    return None
+
+  return output
+
+
+def create_squash_message(pr_title: str | None, commit_messages: list[str], source_branch: str) -> str:
+  """Create a squash commit message from PR title and commit messages."""
+  parts = []
+
+  # Add PR title if provided
+  if pr_title:
+    parts.append(pr_title)
+  else:
+    parts.append(f"Squashed changes from {source_branch}")
+  parts.append("")  # Empty line after title
+
+  # Add original commits section
+  if commit_messages:
+    parts.append("Original commits:")
+    parts.append("")  # Empty line before list
+    parts.extend(f"* {msg}" for msg in commit_messages)
+
+  return '\n'.join(parts)
+
+
+def prompt_for_title() -> str:
+  """Prompt user for a commit title."""
+  return input("Enter commit title (or press Enter to use default): ").strip()
+
+
+@contextlib.contextmanager
+def workspace_manager(original_branch: str):
+  """Context manager to handle workspace state and cleanup."""
+  stash_created = False
+  stash_restored = False
+  temp_branch: str | None = None
+
+  def cleanup_handler(signum=None, frame=None):
+    """Clean up workspace state."""
+    nonlocal temp_branch, stash_created, stash_restored
+    try:
+      if signum and stash_restored:
+        # If we're handling Ctrl+C but stash was already restored,
+        # just clean up branches and exit
+        current = get_current_branch()
+        if current and current != original_branch:
+          run_command(f"git checkout {original_branch}")
+        if temp_branch:
+          run_command(f"git branch -D {temp_branch}")
+        print("\nOperation interrupted, but changes were already restored.")
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+      # First, switch back to original branch
+      current = get_current_branch()
+      if current and current != original_branch:
+        run_command(f"git checkout {original_branch}")
+
+      # Then clean up temp branch
+      if temp_branch:
+        run_command(f"git branch -D {temp_branch}")
+
+      # Finally, restore stash if needed - AFTER switching branches
+      if stash_created and not stash_restored:
+        print("Restoring your uncommitted changes...")
+        code, stash_list, _ = run_command("git stash list")
+        if code == 0 and "Automatic stash by squash script" in stash_list:
+          run_command("git stash pop")
+          stash_restored = True
+          stash_created = False
+
+      if signum:
+        print("\nOperation interrupted. Cleaned up and restored original state.")
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+    except Exception as e:
+      print(f"Error during cleanup: {e}")
+      if signum:
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+  try:
+    # Set up signal handlers
+    signal.signal(signal.SIGINT, cleanup_handler)
+    signal.signal(signal.SIGTERM, cleanup_handler)
+
+    # Check for changes (including untracked files)
+    code, output, _ = run_command("git status --porcelain")
+    if output:
+      print("Stashing uncommitted changes...")
+      run_command("git stash push -u -m 'Automatic stash by squash script'")
+      stash_created = True
+
+    yield lambda x: setattr(x, 'temp_branch', temp_branch)
+
+  except Exception as e:
+    print(f"\nError occurred: {str(e)}")
+    cleanup_handler()
+    raise
+  finally:
+    cleanup_handler()
+
+
+def create_commit_with_message(message: str) -> bool:
+  """Create a commit with the given message using a temporary file."""
+  try:
+    with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(mode='w', delete=False) as f:
+      f.write(message)
+      temp_path = f.name
+
+    # Use the temporary file for the commit message
+    code, _, error = run_command(f"git commit -F {temp_path}")
+    os.unlink(temp_path)  # Clean up the temp file
+
+    if code != 0:
+      print(f"Error creating commit: {error}")
+      return False
+    return True
+  except Exception as e:
+    print(f"Error handling commit message: {e}")
+    if os.path.exists(temp_path):
+      os.unlink(temp_path)
+    return False
+
+
+def squash_and_merge(source_branch: str, target_branch: str, manual_title: str | None, backup: bool = False, push: bool = False) -> bool:
+  """
+  Squash the source branch and merge into target branch.
+  """
+  # Get original branch right away
+  original_branch = get_current_branch()
+  if not original_branch:
+    return False
+
+  class State:
+    temp_branch: str | None = None
+
+  state = State()
+
+  with workspace_manager(original_branch) as set_temp_branch:
+    # Validate source branch exists
+    code, _, error = run_command(f"git rev-parse --verify {source_branch}")
+    if code != 0:
+      print(f"Error: Source branch {source_branch} not found")
+      return False
+
+    if source_branch == target_branch:
+      print(f"Error: Source and target branches cannot be the same ({source_branch})")
+      return False
+
+    # Ensure target branch exists
+    code, _, error = run_command(f"git rev-parse --verify {target_branch}")
+    if code != 0:
+      print(f"Error: Target branch {target_branch} not found")
+      return False
+
+    # Find merge base
+    code, merge_base, error = run_command(f"git merge-base {target_branch} {source_branch}")
+    if code != 0:
+      print(f"Error finding merge base: {error}")
+      return False
+
+    # Create backup unless explicitly skipped
+    if backup and not backup_branch(source_branch):
+      return False
+
+    # Get commit messages
+    commit_messages = get_commit_messages(source_branch, target_branch)
+    if commit_messages is None:
+      return False
+
+    # Get title (priority: manual title > PR title > prompt user)
+    title = manual_title
+    if not title:
+      title = get_pr_info(source_branch)
+    if not title:
+      title = prompt_for_title()
+
+    try:
+      # Create and switch to temporary branch
+      temp_branch = f"temp-squash-{source_branch}"
+      state.temp_branch = temp_branch
+      set_temp_branch(state)
+
+      print(f"\nCreating temporary branch {temp_branch}...")
+      code, _, error = run_command(f"git checkout -b {temp_branch} {source_branch}")
+      if code != 0:
+        print(f"Error creating temp branch: {error}")
+        return False
+
+      print("Preparing squash by resetting temporary branch to merge base...")
+      code, _, error = run_command(f"git reset --soft {merge_base}")
+      if code != 0:
+        print(f"Error resetting for squash: {error}")
+        return False
+
+      # Create commit with message
+      print("Creating squash commit...")
+      squash_message = create_squash_message(title, commit_messages, source_branch)
+      if not create_commit_with_message(squash_message):
+        return False
+
+      # Switch to target and try merge
+      print(f"\nSwitching to target branch {target_branch}...")
+      code, _, error = run_command(f"git checkout {target_branch}")
+      if code != 0:
+        print(f"Error checking out target branch: {error}")
+        return False
+
+      print(f"Attempting to merge changes from {temp_branch}...")
+      code, _, error = run_command(f"git merge {temp_branch}")
+
+      if code != 0:
+        print(f"\nMerge failed with error: {error}")
+        print("\nThe squash was successful, and your changes are preserved in the temporary branch.")
+        print("To complete the merge manually, follow these steps:")
+        print(f"\n1. Your squashed changes are in branch: '{temp_branch}'")
+        print(f"2. The target branch is: '{target_branch}'")
+        print("\nTo resolve the conflicts:")
+        print(f"   git checkout {target_branch}")
+        print(f"   git merge {temp_branch}")
+        print("   # resolve conflicts in your editor")
+        print("   git add <resolved-files>")
+        print("   git commit")
+        print(f"   git push origin {target_branch}  # when ready to push")
+        print("\nTo clean up after successful merge:")
+        print(f"   git branch -D {temp_branch}")
+
+        # Make sure to abort the merge
+        print("\nAborting current merge attempt...")
+        run_command("git merge --abort")
+
+        # Return to original branch, but keep temp branch
+        print(f"Returning to {original_branch}...")
+        run_command(f"git checkout {original_branch}")
+        return False
+
+      # Clean up temp branch on success
+      run_command(f"git branch -D {temp_branch}")
+
+      # Push if requested
+      if push:
+        code, _, error = run_command(f"git push origin {target_branch}")
+        if code != 0:
+          print(f"Error pushing to {target_branch}: {error}")
+          return False
+        print(f"Successfully pushed to {target_branch}")
+      else:
+        print(f"Changes squashed and merged into {target_branch} locally")
+        print(f"To push the changes: git push origin {target_branch}")
+
+      # Return to original branch
+      code, _, error = run_command(f"git checkout {original_branch}")
+      if code != 0:
+        print(f"Warning: Failed to return to original branch: {error}")
+        return False
+
+      return True
+
+    except Exception as e:
+      print(f"Error during squash process: {e}")
+      return False
+
+
+def main():
+  parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
+    description='Squash branch and merge into target branch'
+  )
+  parser.add_argument('--target', '-t', required=True,
+                      help='Target branch to merge changes into')
+  parser.add_argument('--source', '-s',
+                      help='Source branch to squash (default: current branch)')
+  parser.add_argument('--title', '-m',
+                      help='Optional manual title (overrides PR title)')
+  parser.add_argument('--backup', action='store_true',
+                      help='Creates a backup branch for the source branch')
+  parser.add_argument('--push', action='store_true',
+                      help='Push changes to remote after squashing')
+
+  args = parser.parse_args()
+
+  # Determine source branch early
+  source_branch = args.source
+  if not source_branch:
+    source_branch = get_current_branch()
+    if not source_branch:
+      sys.exit(1)
+
+  if not squash_and_merge(source_branch, args.target, args.title, args.backup, args.push):
+    sys.exit(1)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+  main()