Hamas Announces Release of Israeli Hostage Arbel Yehud on February 1

Hamas has confirmed that it will release Israeli hostage Arbel Yehud on February 1, after Israeli authorities refused to allow Gazans to return to northern Gaza. This announcement comes through a Hamas source reported by Al Jazeera.

“We have informed the mediators that Arbel Yehud is alive and will be released next Saturday,” the Hamas source stated. Yehud, an Israeli servicewoman trained in Israel’s military space program, is currently being held in Gaza by the military wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group.

The release is set to occur under the terms of an agreed exchange deal. Hamas emphasized that any obstacles to the deal would be the responsibility of the Israeli government.

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously stated that Israel would not allow Gaza residents to return to the northern part of the enclave until Yehud’s release was finalized. She was originally scheduled for release on January 25, in line with a ceasefire deal that began on January 19. Under the terms of that deal, several hostages, including three Israeli women, were freed, and Israel released 90 Palestinian prisoners.

On January 25, four female hostages were also released from Gaza as part of the ongoing negotiations.