Hamas said it will on February 1 release Israeli hostage Arbel Yehud after “Israel” refused to allow Gazan to return to the north of the enclave, Al Jazeera television reported, citing a Hamas source.
“We have notified the mediators that Arbel Yehud is alive and will be released next Saturday,” the channel’s source said.
According to another Al Jazeera source, the Israeli woman is being held in Gaza by the military wing of a group called Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
“Arbel Yehud is a service woman who was trained as part of the Israeli military space program,” the Hamas source said.
The Israeli hostage “will be released in accordance with the agreed terms of the exchange,” he said.
“We will hold the Israeli government responsible for any obstacles to the deal,” the he went on to say.
Earlier on Saturday, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that in accordance with the agreement, Israel will not allow Gaza residents to return to the north of the enclave until the release Arbel Yehud is arranged. According to the office, she was to be released on January 25.
The Gaza ceasefire deal came into effect on January 19. On the same day, Palestinian factions released the first group of hostages, which included three Israeli women. In response, Israel released 90 Palestinian prisoners. On the morning of January 25, four female hostages were released from Gaza.
