Israel stormed on Saturday, when civilian hostage Arbel Yehud was not released by Hamas. The young woman, kidnapped in Kibbutz Nir Oz, could finally be released within the week. This Sunday, two Palestinian sources told AFP that the hostage should return home within the week in exchange for 30 Palestinian prisoners, before the next exchange scheduled for Saturday.
An official from Islamic Jihad, an ally of Hamas in Gaza, assured that she “would be released before the next exchange agreement”. Another source close to the matter indicated, also on condition of anonymity, that “the crisis [avait] been resolved” and that she would be free “probably Friday”.
The Israeli government refused to open the “Netzarim corridor”, an east-west axis held by the Israeli army and cutting Gaza in two north of the town of Nousseirat. The opening of this passage, provided for by the agreement, should allow the return of displaced Palestinians from the south to the north of Gaza.
Belgium
