Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Israel Expects Hamas to Free Hostage Arbel Yehud in Upcoming Ceasefire Release

Despite being a civilian, she is thought to be held by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), a separate terror group from Hamas, raising concerns that Hamas may delay her release

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Israel has communicated to Hamas its expectation that the terror group will include Arbel Yehud, a female civilian hostage, in the upcoming release of four hostages from Gaza this weekend, as part of the ongoing ceasefire deal.

Yehud, who was captured alongside her boyfriend Ariel Cunio during the October 7 attacks, is one of the seven remaining female hostages.

Despite being a civilian, she is thought to be held by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), a separate terror group from Hamas, raising concerns that Hamas may delay her release.

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Under the terms of the ceasefire, Hamas is required to provide the names of the four hostages, all women, to be freed by Friday, just a day before their scheduled release.

Yehud, now 29, is among the hostages Israel is keen to see freed. Her brother, Dolev Yehud, was killed defending their Kibbutz Nir Oz, and his remains were identified in June 2024.

The four hostages to be freed in this phase include Yehud and Shiri Silberman Bibas, a 33-year-old mother of two young children, along with soldiers Liri Albag, 19; Karina Ariev, 20; Agam Berger, 21; Danielle Gilboa, 20; and Naama Levy, 20.

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All the women, with the exception of Yehud and Silberman Bibas, are active soldiers. The others, including Silberman Bibas’s sons and husband, are also being held as hostages.

As part of the deal, for each female soldier freed, Israel has agreed to release 50 Palestinian prisoners, including 30 who are convicted terrorists serving life sentences.

On Monday, Israel released 30 prisoners for each of the three civilian hostages freed in the previous phase, including Romi Gonen, Emily Damari, and Doron Steinbrecher.

In addition to the ongoing hostage release, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported several incidents in Gaza.

On Wednesday, the IDF said it had opened fire on several gunmen in southern Gaza, killing one identified as Akram Zanoun, a member of Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

The IDF stressed that it was committed to enforcing the terms of the ceasefire while ensuring the safety of Israeli forces.

The IDF also acknowledged a mistake in its earlier claims about the death of Hamas Beit Hanoun battalion commander Hussein Fayyad.

After footage surfaced showing Fayyad alive, the IDF admitted that the intelligence regarding his death had been incorrect.

Meanwhile, Palestinian media reported the death of Hamas operative Muhammad Maher Abu Jasser, responsible for the killing of Border Police officer Staff Sgt. Barel Hadaria Shmueli in 2021.

The release of hostages, and Israel’s continued military operations, underscores the complexity of the ceasefire and the ongoing tensions in Gaza, where both military and civilian casualties are rising.

As the deadline approaches for Hamas to release the hostages, the situation remains fluid, with concerns growing over the fate of Yehud and others held by rival groups within the Gaza Strip.

 

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