Arbel Yehud knot resolved: Hamas and Israel reach agreement, total truce continues

Unlocked the liberation of the German-Israeli town, thousands of displaced people ready to return to northern Gaza

After days of stalemate, the case related to the release of Arbel Yehud, the German-Israeli citizen kidnapped by Hamas last October, has finally been resolved. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced that Yehud would be freed on Thursday, along with soldier Agam Berger and another hostage, ending an impasse that had blocked the return of displaced people to the northern Gaza Strip.

Yehud’s release represents a crucial point in the agreement signed between Israel and Hamas, which has so far guaranteed the maintenance of a total truce. The operation, defined by Netanyahu as the result of ‘strong and determined negotiations’, allowed the return of displaced Palestinians waiting along the al-Rashid coastal road to begin.

A long-awaited return and a complex diplomatic knot

The agreement envisages the gradual return of Palestinian families to northern Gaza, but the process had been blocked due to the failure to release Yehud, who was on the initial list of hostages to be released. The woman, kidnapped together with her boyfriend Ariel Cunio in the Nir Oz kibbutz, had been excluded at the last moment in favour of Emily Damari, an Israeli-British hostage. According to sources, Yehud was in the hands of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a detail that would have complicated his release.

The delay prompted Netanyahu to suspend the passage of Gazans to the north along the Netzarim corridor, maintaining a hard line in negotiations. ‘Violations of the understanding will not be tolerated,’ said the PM’s office, reiterating the importance of ensuring Israel’s security and compliance with the agreements.

A precarious balance

The release of more hostages is expected in the coming weeks: three will be released on Saturday, while prisoner exchanges between the two sides continue. However, the context remains fragile. Israeli authorities arrested the brother of Ashraf Zagair, a Palestinian released on Saturday, on charges of celebrating his release by displaying Hamas flags.

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