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Israel and Palestinian terrorists appear to be approaching a breakthrough that will lead to the release of civilian Israeli hostage Arbel Yehoud. The reports of progress come as crowds of Gazans are still stranded near the Netzarim Corridor, which remains blocked by Israeli troops, as they attempt to return to their home communities in northern Gaza.
Israeli officials confirmed Sunday evening that there is progress in talks that will lead to the early release of the civilian hostage, who was supposed to be released from Hamas captivity on Saturday. However, the officials clarified that an agreement has not yet been reached.
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Gazans aks, 'Were is Arbel'? as they wait to return to their homes in northern Gaza
Previously, Sky News reported in Arabic that "Hamas and Jihad agreed to release Arbel Yahud 24 hours before the third scheduled exchange on Saturday." According to the same report, she will be released in exchange for the opening of the Netzarim Corridor and the beginning of the return of displaced to the northern Gaza Strip, and in exchange for the release of 30 terrorists serving life sentences.
Arbel Yahoud is a civilian, so women and teenagers, not life prisoners, had been supposed to be released in exchange for her.
The Saudi news outlet Al-Arabiya also reported that "the mediators succeeded in overcoming the crisis of the kidnapped Arbel Yahoud."
On Sunday afternoon, a senior official in Islamic Jihad - the organization that apparently is holding Arbel Yehoud - said that "we expect a breakthrough tonight in the surrounding crisis." According to him, "efforts are being made by the mediators to resolve the crisis, which may lead to the release of the kidnapped woman before Saturday." Israel has not confirmed that any agreement has been reached. There is a great effort to resolve the crisis and pressure from the mediators, and President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, is also involved in the issue.
At the same time, residents in the Gaza Strip were filmed "looking" for Arbel Yehoud. "All the people are waiting for Arbel," one resident said in the video. Another resident added: "Half a million people are sleeping on the streets because of her. Where is Arbel? Ten thousand prisoners in prison and not a single Arab has moved - and because of Arbel, all the nations have stood up."
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Displaced Palestinians wait for go-ahead to return to northenr Gaza
(Photo: Reuters / Stringer)
The movement of displaced persons back to the northern Gaza Strip was banned following the crisis with Hamas over the release of Arbel Yehoud. She was supposed to be released in the second round, under the agreement which stated that live civilian women would be released before the female soldiers, but this did not happen, and therefore Israel announced that until the crisis is resolved no movement of displaced persons to the northern Gaza Strip will be allowed.
The terrorist organization has meanwhile accused Israel of violating the agreement, stating that "Hamas and the mediators are monitoring the occupation's prevention of the return of the displaced to the north, which is using the excuse of Arbel Yehoud - even though we announced that she was alive and gave all the necessary guarantees for her release." However, Israel is still denying Hamas' claim that a sign of life was transferred from Arbel Yehoud.
A political source clarified Sunday that "Prime Minister Netanyahu stands firm on his decision not to allow Gazans to cross north through Netzarim until the issue of the closure of Arbel Yehoud is resolved." In the meantime, Hamas has managed to violate the deal once again and did not present the list of hostages and their conditions as it was required to hand over by Saturday.
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Displaced Palestinians try to return to their home communities
(Photo: Mohammed Salem/Reuters)
Throughout Saturday night and Sunday morning, Palestinian media published numerous videos and photos from the Gaza Strip, showing thousands of Gazans waiting on the sides of the a-Rashid Road, which is a main crossing from the southern Gaza Strip to the north. Many Gazans even stayed overnight near the Netzarim Corridor, hoping that the crossing would open in the morning, but it remained closed. At the same time, Palestinians reported that four Gazans were injured by IDF gunfire in the Nuseirat area, where displaced people were waiting to return to the north of the Gaza Strip.
Hamas spokesman Hazem Qasim addressed this, claiming in an interview with the Qatari channel Al-Araby that "Israel's preventing the return of displaced persons to the north is a clear violation of the cease-fire agreement." According to him, "Israel is delaying and delaying, even though we have sent confirmation that the kidnapped Arbel Yahoud is alive. We demand that the mediators put pressure on Israel and force it to allow the return of the displaced persons. Direct contacts are taking place with the mediators in order to find a solution and open the Netzarim Corridor."
Israel is also striving to resolve the crisis, and according to a CNN report, they have turned to the person who many believe promoted the negotiations that led to the deal in the first place - Steve Witkoff, U.S. President Donald Trump's envoy to the Middle East. According to an Israeli source, a message was sent to Witkoff, asking him to intervene in the crisis.
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The Hostages Directorate at the Prime Minister's Office announced Sunday morning that they were updated on the latest developments related to the implementation of the outline. According to the directorate: "In parallel with the return to Israel of seven kidnapped women, four of whom are soldiers, Israel released the terrorist prisoners in accordance with the agreement. During the implementation of the cease-fire yesterday, Hamas committed two violations of the agreement: Arbel Yehoud has not yet been released and the list of the status of the hostages set to be returned in the first phase has not yet been submitted."
"As a result, it was decided that the crossing of Gazans into the northern Gaza Strip will not be approved. Since yesterday until this hour, many efforts have been made with the U.S. and the mediators to bring about a settlement for the recovery of Arbel. It was expected that Hamas would create difficulties and continue psychological warfare on the way to implementing the agreement. We are determined to bring about the return of all the hostages, both living and dead."