Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz, and senior security officials convened on Friday to discuss a response to Hamas’s alleged violation of the recently brokered hostage release agreement.
Under the terms of the Gaza ceasefire deal, Hamas is obligated to release all female civilian hostages before transitioning to other groups, including female soldiers, the elderly, and the seriously ill. However, the list of four hostages Hamas plans to release this weekend reportedly includes female soldiers, in apparent contravention of the agreed sequence.
Among those expected to be released, Arbel Yehud, a female civilian hostage, was notably absent from the list. Israeli officials had explicitly demanded her inclusion in this weekend’s exchange. Yehud is believed to be held by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad rather than Hamas, raising additional concerns in Jerusalem about delays in her release.
Officials are considering several measures in response to the reported breach, including suspending Israel’s commitment to allow Palestinians to return to northern Gaza on Saturday or altering the list of Palestinian prisoners slated for release in exchange for the four hostages. The Palestinian prisoners set to be freed include individuals convicted of terrorism.
The hostage release agreement, a critical element of the ceasefire now in its fourth day, also requires Hamas to provide detailed updates on the status of remaining hostages, including those deceased. Failure to adhere to the agreement threatens to destabilize the fragile truce, as both sides face international scrutiny over their compliance with the terms.
The ceasefire follows months of intense conflict between Israel and Hamas, with the release of hostages emerging as a pivotal issue. As of Friday, 91 Israeli hostages remain in Gaza, alongside the remains of IDF soldiers killed in previous engagements.
Families of the abducted continue to demand full adherence to the agreement by both parties, underscoring the urgency of the situation. The Israeli government is expected to release an official statement regarding the consultations later this evening.
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