- Palestinians Return to North Gaza as Deal Secures Release of Six Hostages
- Arbel Yehud is set to be released – as well as two other civilians on Thursday
- Palestinians heading north after being held at a military barrier for two days
Palestinians Return to North Gaza as Deal Secures Release of Six Hostages
Palestinians have started returning to northern Gaza after Israel announced a deal with Hamas to release six hostages this week. Among those to be freed is Arbel Yehud, a civilian at the centre of recent tensions.
Since the ceasefire began on 19 January, seven hostages and nearly 300 Palestinian prisoners have been released. Israel had demanded Yehud, a civilian, be returned yesterday but instead, Hamas freed four female soldiers in what Israel called a violation of the ceasefire agreement. Under the agreement, civilians should be returned before soldiers. Yehud has been reclassified as a civilian rather than a soldier.
Footage showed thousands of displaced Palestinians heading north after being held at a military barrier for two days.
Under the agreement, Hamas will release Ms Yehud and two other hostages on Thursday, followed by three more on Saturday, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Qatari mediators.
Israel has also begun allowing Palestinians to move north from Monday and will free additional Palestinian prisoners later in the week. Initially, Palestinians were supposed to travel north of the Netzarim Corridor—a seven-kilometre Israeli-controlled strip dividing northern Gaza—on Saturday. However, delays led to large crowds gathering at the checkpoint.