Israel again accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire agreement in the conflict in Gaza – which on Saturday (25) involved the second exchange of Israeli hostages at the enclave by Palestinian prisoners – by releasing women soldiers instead of civilians.
“Hamas did not fulfill their obligations to release Israeli civilian women first,” said the spokesman for Israel’s Defense Forces, Daniel Hagari, in a brief statement released shortly after confirmation that the hostages had entered Israeli territory.
On Friday night, when Hamas announced that he would release four soldiers who were kidnapped at Nahal Oz’s military base on October 7, 2023, Israel expressed his disagreement but eventually accepted.
Of the 33 people to be released in the first phase of ceasefire in Gaza, seven women, five soldiers (one of whom was not released on Saturday) and two civilians remain in captivity, identified as Shiri Silberman, 33, and Arbel Yehud , 29.
In November 2023, Islamic jihad claimed that Silberman, who was kidnapped along with her husband, Yarden Bibas, and her sons Ariel and Kfir, 5 and 2, were killed in an Israeli attack, although Israel’s military forces ( FDI) have never confirmed this claim.
In recent days, the Israeli press has released several reports that Israel was pressing for Yehud to be released on Saturday. However, 19 -year -old soldiers Liri Albag were released today, Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, and Naama Levy, all three of them 20.
Israel will not allow residents’ return to northern Gaza until Hamas releases civil
Israel will not allow residents of the northern Gaza Strip to return to the region on Sunday (26), as stipulated in the ceasefire agreement with Hamas, until the Palestinian terrorist group arranges the release of the civil hostage, Arbel Yehud, for claiming that she should have left Gaza on Saturday in place of one of four women soldiers released earlier.
“As agreed, Israel will not allow the residents of Gaza to reach the north of the track until the release of Arbel Yehud, which should have happened today,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement.