Israel stops Palestinians returning to north Gaza until Hamas releases civilian hostage

The office of Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’ has said that displaced Palestinians will not be allowed to return to northern Gaza until the civilian hostage Arbel Yehoud is released by Hamas.

The Israelis said Yehoud should have been released by Hamas this week in the latest hostage and prisoner exchange.

A senior Hamas official said Yehoud will be released next week, but gave no reasons for the apparent delay.

Hundreds of Palestinians began gathering in Wadi Gaza on Saturday hoping to cross back into the northern part of the Strip.

Wadi Gaza is the stream and wetlands that divide the north from the rest of the strip.

“I am waiting moment by moment. The coming hours separate us from our return to northern Gaza. I am waiting for permission so I can search for my son who was killed in the war and give him a proper burial,” said one Palestinian woman.

The Israeli military withdrawing from populated areas and allowing displaced Palestinians to return home is one of the points agreed to in the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas which came into effect on 19 January.

Another part of the ceasefire deal was the exchange of Hamas hostages for Palestinian prisoners. According to the terms of the agreement, during the six-week first phase of the deal, Hamas will release 33 hostages in return for hundreds of Palestinians being held in Israeli prisons.

On Saturday, the second such exchange took place when Hamas released Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy and Liri Albag, all female Israeli soldiers.

They were driven out of Gaza in Red Cross vehicles on Saturday morning and hours later 200 Palestinians were freed from prison.

“It is an indescribable feeling. We did not expect this situation and we did not expect my father to be released but we thank God,” said Rana Raef al-Farra, whose father was one of the Palestinians released on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the relatives of the hostages still being held by Hamas militants in Gaza have called on US President Donald Trump to put pressure on Benjamin Netanyahu to proceed with the second phase of the ceasefire deal during a weekly protest in Tel Aviv.

“Extremists within Netanyahu’s coalition are threatening to topple his government unless he resumes the war in Gaza,” said Zahiro Shahar Mor, whose uncle Avraham Munder remains in captivity.

“Mr. Trump, do not allow this to happen. Demand of Netanyahu to fully implement the deal in its entirety and begin negotiations for phase two now.”

Phase two of the deal covers steps towards a permanent end to the fighting in Gaza. It would see Hamas release the remaining hostages, with Israel agreeing to free around 1,000 Palestinians.

The Israeli military will also complete a full troop withdrawal from Gaza during this phase.

The third and final phase covers Gaza’s reconstruction, with Hamas expected to hand over the bodies of hostages who died in captivity in return for a plan for rebuilding the Strip from Israel.

The details of phases two and three are supposed to be ironed out during the six weeks of phase one.

Hamas triggered the war in October 2023 with its cross-border attack into Israel that saw some 1,200 people killed and 250 others taken as hostages back to Gaza.

Israel responded with a devastating offensive that has killed more than 46,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, who do not distinguish between civilians and militants but say women and children make up more than half the dead.

The UN said on Saturday that more than 13,000 children have been killed in the fighting.

The conflict has destabilised the Middle East and sparked küresel protests as well as highlighting political tensions inside Israel.