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The crisis that threatened the hostage deal has been resolved. According to Qatari mediators, understandings have been reached between the parties stipulating that civilian Arbel Yehoud, lookout Agam Berger and one other hostage will be released on Thursday, followed by the release of three additional hostages on Saturday.
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Lookouts return home
Additionally, Hamas has provided a list detailing the condition of the 26 hostages who are supposed to be released during the first stage of the deal, as it committed to in the agreement. In return, Israel will open the Netzarim Corridor starting on Monday morning, allowing displaced Gazans to return to northern Gaza, the Prime Minister's Office announced.
"Israel has received from Hamas a list that includes the status of all of the hostages due to be released in the first stage. Under these agreements, Israel will – from tomorrow morning – allow the passage of Gazans to the northern Strip," according to the statement.
"The Prime Minister reiterates that Israel will not tolerate any violation of the agreement. We will continue to act for the return of all of our hostages, the living and the deceased," the statement concluded.
A statement by Majed Al-Ansari, spokesperson for Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, noted that "Israel will provide, every Sunday during the first phase of the deal, a list of 400 Gazans who have been detained since October 7."
Steve Witkoff, U.S. President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, on Sunday night said he was pleased about the resolution of the crisis between Israel and Hamas. "It's wonderful, I spoke to the president about it. He was happy," he said. "Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed al-Thani did an amazing job. I thank the Israeli government and those who were involved. It's a good day for the hostages."
Islamic Jihad had previously announced that an agreement had been reached to secure the release of Arbel Yehoud – who was initially supposed to be included in the second phase of the deal but was kept in captivity by Hamas in violation of the agreement. However, Israel denied this claim.
Israel believed that internal disputes within Gaza – particularly between Islamic Jihad and the Resistance Committees, including disagreements over credit – were causing Islamic Jihad to complicate her release.
During negotiations, Islamic Jihad claimed Arbel was a soldier and demanded the release of 30 prisoners serving life sentences in exchange. Israel strongly objected, and it was reportedly agreed that she would be classified as a civilian, not a soldier, for the purposes of the deal. The dispute also revolved around the timing of her release, with Israel insisting that she be freed by Wednesday.
Arbel is not held solely by Islamic Jihad but — according to their own statements – also by the Al-Nasser Salah al-Deen Brigades, which is the military wing of the Popular Resistance Committees, considered the third-largest terrorist organization in Gaza. The group has a jihadist-Salafist ideological orientation, and its operatives participated in the abduction of Gilad Shalit alongside Hamas operatives in June of 2006. The organization was also responsible for the kidnapping and murder of Eliyahu Asheri on the same day.
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Over the years, the organization has carried out numerous attacks, including bombings in Gaza targeting both military and civilian locations before the implementation of the Disengagement Plan, as well as attacks inside Israel. The group has claimed responsibility for launching rockets at Israel during several rounds of escalation. Over time, Israel has eliminated several of its leaders, the most recent being Raafat Abu al-Halal, whose killing in Rafah was announced by IDF on October 19, 2023.
On October 7, the terrorist organization participated in the massacre and also abducted Ohad Yahalomi, who is still being held in Gaza and is expected to be released as part of the first stage of the deal. His 13-year-old son, Eitan, was abducted along with his father but was released in the first deal conducted between Israel and Hamas in late 2023.