Six more Israeli hostages will be released by Hamas this week, including Arbel Yehoud, the civilian that Israel said was supposed to have been released Saturday. Israel vowed not to let Palestinians start returning to the northern part of Gaza until she was freed, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later announced a deal had been reached and Gazans would be allowed to return to their homes, the BBC reports. Al Jazeera has photos of Palestinians returning to the area by foot for the first time since the Israel-Hamas war began with Hamas' attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
Yehoud's release will be the third hostage release since Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire deal; Israel says she will be released Thursday along with female soldier Agam Berger and an unnamed third hostage, and three more hostages will be released Saturday, the Times of Israel reports. The New York Times has more on Yehoud, alternately spelled Yehud, who was seized along with her partner from her home in Nir Oz, near the Gaza border. She is the last female civilian hostage believed to be alive; another female civilian, Shiri Bibas, has also not been freed, but authorities fear she and her two young children, who were also taken from Nir Oz, are dead.
The first phase of the ceasefire, which will end sometime in March, will see Hamas releasing a total of 33 hostages; seven of those have already been freed, the AP reports. About 60 Israeli hostages will remain in Hamas captivity, and so far the militant group is pledging not to release them until Israel ends the war. The second phase of the ceasefire has not yet been negotiated. (More Israel stories.)
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