With Hamas 'violating' the deal by not first freeing all female civilians, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said that it will not allow Palestinians to return to northern Gaza until the militant group releases female hostage Arbel Yehud. Israel Defence Forces (IDF) has expressed grave concerns about Hamas changing the list of the hostages to be released late at night.
According to Israel, Hamas violated the deal by releasing hostage soldiers before all of the living civilian women captives.
Initially, Israel had given the list with names of Arbel Yehud, and the Bibas family--including two kids Ariel and baby Kfir. IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari said that Israel would make sure that civilian hostage Yehud is released soon, along with Shiri Bibas.
Amid rumours of Israel demanding proof of Yehud's life, a Hamas official confirmed that she is alive and will be released next Saturday.
Also read | Will Hamas release Arbel Yehud this week? Israel wants civilian hostage to be freed soon
Meanwhile, Israel has released 70 Palestinian prisoners into Egypt. In return for the four female Israeli soldiers released by Hamas, Israel is expected to release a total of 200 Palestinian prisoners on Saturday.
Expressing disappointment in the latest hostage release, relatives of the Bibas family said that their "world came crashing down" when they discovered that Shiri Silberman Bibas and her two kids were left off the list of captives to be released later in the day.
“Our pain, our struggle, and, most importantly, the crucial discussion about the complexity and tragedy of them not being on the list,” read the statement.
“Does the grave concern for their lives cancel out the fact that they are civilians in captivity who must be brought home?” asked the family. “Does the grave concern for Shiri’s life mean that there is no longer a need to display her photo as a kidnapped civilian in Gaza whose fate remains unknown? The answer is — no," it added.
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The relatives's statement also expressed happiness as Liri, Daniela, Naama and Karina--hostages released by Hamas--joined their families at home. “Shiri, Yarden, Ariel, and Kfir — We will continue to hope and demand your return. It’s not over until it’s over,” the statement said.
Under the hostage deal, during the agreement’s 42-day first phase, Hamas is set to release 33 hostages: civilian women and children, then female soldiers, then elderly men followed by those deemed extremely ill. The first three hostages, female civilians Doron Steinbrecher, Emily Damari and Romi Gonen, were released on Sunday.
