DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Early Monday, Qatar announced a significant breakthrough in negotiations regarding the release of an Israeli civilian hostage. This agreement also permits Palestinians to return to northern Gaza, marking the first easing of tensions during the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Qatar, acting as a mediator in the ongoing discussions, stated that Hamas would release the civilian hostage, Arbel Yehoud, along with two others by Friday. Furthermore, Israeli authorities have confirmed that on Monday, Palestinians will be allowed to journey back to northern Gaza. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated that the hostage release, which will also involve soldier Agam Berger, is scheduled for Thursday, and that people can begin their passage north starting at 7 a.m.
Originally, a plan was set for Israel to commence the return of Palestinians to northern Gaza on Saturday. However, this was postponed over concerns regarding Yehoud’s release, whom Israel insisted needed to be freed by that day. In response, Hamas accused Israel of breaching the ceasefire agreement. This upcoming release of Yehoud and the other two hostages adds to an existing arrangement for another three hostages to be freed on the following Saturday.
Additionally, Hamas claimed it had submitted a list containing essential information about all hostages scheduled to be released throughout the ceasefire’s first phase, which is set to last six weeks. The office of the Israeli prime minister confirmed receipt of this list.
An increasing number of Palestinians have been congregating in the region, hoping to travel north through the Netzarim corridor, a key passage in Gaza. Local health officials reported on Sunday that Israeli forces fired upon a gathering crowd, resulting in two fatalities and nine injuries.
In a related context, U.S. President Donald Trump proposed a temporary resettlement of a significant portion of Gaza’s population to various locations, including Egypt and Jordan. His suggestion aims to “clean out” the area that has endured extensive conflict. However, Egypt, Jordan, and Palestinian leaders rejected this idea, fearing that Israel might prevent refugees from returning to their homes.
Bassem Naim, a senior official in Hamas, made it clear that Palestinians would firmly oppose such propositions, despite any well-meaning intentions that may accompany them. He asserted that Palestinians are capable of rebuilding Gaza to be “even better than before” if Israel ends its blockade.
As tensions rose, Israeli forces engaged the gatherings on three separate occasions, leading to casualties that included a child, according to reports from Al-Awda Hospital, which received the injured. The Israeli military insisted that warning shots were fired at groups they perceived as threats.
Under the ceasefire, which took effect last Sunday, Israel has withdrawn from various locations in Gaza. Despite this, the military cautioned civilians to maintain distance from its forces, which continue to operate in a designated buffer zone along the border and within the Netzarim corridor. In a prior exchange, Hamas released four female Israeli soldiers, while Israel freed around 200 Palestinian prisoners. Notably, Israel stated that Yehoud’s release should have occurred prior to the release of soldiers.
Hamas communicated to various mediators, including the United States, Egypt, and Qatar, affirming that Yehoud was alive and guaranteeing her release. Meanwhile, frustration among Palestinians persisted as they awaited the opportunity to move northward, with some igniting bonfires to combat the winter chill.
A displaced individual, Nadia Qasem, shared her emotional struggle, stating, “We have been in agony for a year and a half.” Another displaced resident, Fadi al-Sinwar, lamented, “the fate of more than a million people is linked to one person,” referring to Yehoud. He expressed a sense of worthlessness, questioning, “See how valuable we are? We are worthless.”
Ending the ongoing conflict will prove to be a complicated task. The ceasefire aims to halt the hostilities that escalated following Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023. The goal is to free hostages still held in Gaza in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. Current reports indicate around 90 hostages remain captive in Gaza, and Israeli authorities suspect that a significant portion of them may have perished.
Itzik Horn, the father of hostages Iair and Eitan Horn, warned that any resurgence of conflict would amount to “a death sentence for the hostages.” He criticized government officials advocating for the continuation of hostilities.
The ceasefire’s first phase is set to last until early March, targeting the release of 33 hostages and nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. The complexities of the subsequent phase still await negotiation. Hamas has announced it will only release any remaining hostages if the war concludes, while Israel has warned it may resume offensive operations until Hamas is dismantled.
Since the onset of hostilities on October 7, Hamas militants have caused the deaths of approximately 1,200 individuals, predominantly civilians, and have taken around 250 hostages. Earlier ceasefires allowed for the release of over 100 hostages in November 2023. Reports state that Israeli forces have successfully rescued eight hostages alive and recovered the remains of many others, with several having been mistakenly killed by Israeli troop actions.
The military operations conducted by Israel have claimed the lives of over 47,000 Palestinians, with more than half being women and children, according to the Health Ministry of Gaza. The Israeli military claims to have eliminated over 17,000 suspected militants; however, no conclusive evidence has been provided for these numbers.
Israeli airstrikes and ground campaigns have wreaked havoc across vast areas of Gaza, leading to the displacement of approximately 90% of its 2.3 million residents. For those allowed to return since the ceasefire commenced, many have found only piles of rubble where their homes once stood.
