The four Israelis released on Saturday January 25 are in “stable condition” after more than 400 days of captivity. They were released as part of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, but the Jewish state accuses the other party of violations of the agreement.
Four Israeli soldiers were released on Saturday January 25 by Hamas, and joined the Jewish state in the morning. They are Karina Arif, Daniela Gilboa, Naama Levy and Liri Albag. In Gaza, they appeared in good shape before being handed over to the Red Cross, then to the Israeli army. When they arrived, they were greeted by their families and a cheering crowd. The ex-hostages were quickly transferred to a hospital, which took care of them for medical examinations. He said during the day that they were in “stable condition”.
The former hostages were exchanged for 200 Palestinian prisoners, released by Israel late in the morning. Among them, there are 121 prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment and 79 prisoners serving long sentences. Most of them were transferred by bus to Ramallah, in the West Bank, where they were greeted by cheering crowds. Sixteen others were taken to the Gaza Strip, and 70 were deported to Egypt. After passing through this country, these former prisoners “will choose Algeria, Turkey or Tunisia”, declared Amin Choumane, head of the Palestinian High Committee for Monitoring the Affairs of Prisoners and Released Prisoners, comments cited by The World.
The agreement in danger?
But already, the ceasefire agreement, which allowed the organization of such an exchange, could be in danger. Israel accuses Hamas of two violations of the agreement, according to a press release published on Sunday January 26 by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: the Jewish state was in fact demanding the release on Saturday of Arbel Yehoud, a civilian, which did not happen. , as well as a “status list” of the hostages (to know if they are alive or dead), which has not been submitted. As a result, Israel justifies the maintenance of its troops in the Netzarim corridor, while their withdrawal was to allow the return of Gazans to the north of the enclave, as long as these conditions are not respected. In the wake of this threat, Hamas indicated that Arbel Yehoud would be part of the next round of liberations, Saturday February 1, reports Liberation.
As a reminder, the truce between Israel and Hamas began on Sunday January 19, 2025 at 11:15 a.m. (10:15 a.m. French time), three hours late, with Hamas acknowledging a setback “for technical reasons on the ground”. In the process, the first hostages were released. These are three women: Romi Gonen (24 years old), Emily Damari (28 years old) and Doron Steinbrecher (31 years old). Hours later, Israel announced that it had released 90 Palestinian prisoners as part of the first prisoner exchange under the truce agreement with Hamas. “This evening, 90 terrorists were (…) released” from the Ofer military prison, in the occupied West Bank, and from a detention center in Jerusalem, said a statement from the Israeli Prison Authority.
These series of prisoner exchanges must take place at more or less regular intervals for six weeks. In total, this concerns 33 Israeli hostages and 1,900 Palestinian prisoners. “Between three and four kidnapped women” will be “released each week”, specified Daniel Hagari, the spokesperson for the Israeli army, last week, even if Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Israel reserved “the right to resume the war if necessary.” The Jewish state has already published a list of 734 “releaseable” detainees. Hamas and Israel have finally agreed on the release of 296 Palestinian prisoners sentenced to life in the next phase, 236 of whom are to be deported, either to Qatar or Turkey.
What this truce agreement contains
Washington, Israel’s main ally, like the other members of the G7, encourages the belligerents to go further and negotiate a lasting peace in a press release: “We urge all parties to negotiate constructively the subsequent phases of the “agreement, to guarantee its full implementation and the definitive end of hostilities”. But nothing guarantees the success of the next negotiations. Before confirming the agreement, Benjamin Netanyahu affirmed on Thursday January 16 that Hamas had “withdrew from certain agreements” at the last minute: “Hamas is going back on the agreements and creating a crisis which prevents an agreement”. He warned that the Israeli government “will not meet until […] Hamas accepted all elements of the agreement.
During his press conference, the Qatari Prime Minister revealed that the agreement reached consisted of three phases. The first will consist of positioning Israeli troops along the Gaza border, “which will allow an exchange of prisoners, displaced people to find their homes and will also facilitate the transfer of injured people to be able to undergo treatment”, detailed Mohammed bin Abderrahmane Al-Thani.
“A delivery of humanitarian aid throughout the Gaza Strip allowing the entry of essential equipment, particularly for displaced people who lost their homes following the war, as well as the rehabilitation of hospitals and health centers and others” are also on the program for this first phase. Phases two and three remain unclear at this point. They “will be finalized during the implementation of the first phase”, indicated the Prime Minister.
17:23 – Hostage Arbel Yehoud, released before Saturday?
Arbel Yehoud crystallizes tensions between Hamas and Israel, since the latter demanded his release on Saturday January 25, which did not happen. Hamas quickly reacted by assuring that she would be released the following week, during the next wave of releases. But according to a Palestinian official, “it is possible that she will be released before Saturday [prochain]”, he told the Qatari channel Al-Jazeera and the Saudi channel Al-Hadath. He specified that she was held by the Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of Islamic Jihad, and the Al-Brigades Nasser Salah Al-Din.
Yesterday, two Hamas sources said Arbel Yehud was “alive and in good health.”
-15:36 – Three ex-hostages leave the hospital
Sheba hospital announced that the first three hostages released from the Gaza Strip on Sunday January 19, the first day of the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, were released from the hospital. The facility added that it would continue to “care for them as needed in the future.” However, he did not provide information on their state of health.
14:01 – Hamas in turn accuses Israel of violating the truce agreement
After Israel accused Hamas of violating the truce agreement between the two sides, it is Hamas’ turn to return the accusations. The organization said it was “following up the matter with the mediators” and “holding Israel responsible for the delay in implementing the agreement.” The Jewish state has in fact maintained its troops in the Netzarim corridor, planned for this weekend, which prevents Gazans from reaching the north of the enclave after having had to flee the area because of the war.
11:14 – Who are the 200 Palestinians released by Israel on Saturday?
Of the 200 Palestinians released by Israel as part of the planned detainee-hostage exchange with Hamas, 121 were life-sentenced prisoners and 79 were long-term prisoners. Among them, we find Mohammed Tous, aged 69. The Fatah member had been imprisoned since 1985, according to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club, and was the longest continuously detained Palestinian by Israel. And for good reason: in a large majority of cases, their conviction dates back to the second intifada, the Palestinian uprising of the early 2000s, and were condemned for having committed or participated in anti-Israeli attacks or attacks.
Of the 200 released, 121 went to Ramallah, in the West Bank, and 16 to the Gaza Strip. The other 70 were expelled. They arrived in Egypt on Saturday and were transferred to hospitals there for treatment. After transiting through Egypt, the prisoners “will choose Algeria, Turkey or Tunisia”, declared Amin Choumane, head of the Palestinian High Committee for Monitoring the Affairs of Prisoners and Released Prisoners, comments cited by The World.
10:26 – Who is Arbel Yehud, the hostage who crystallized tensions between Israel and Hamas?
She is one of the last female hostages held by Hamas, and is a civilian. Arbel Yehud was to be released on Saturday January 25, as requested by Israel, which did not happen. She would be held by the Islamic Jihad group, an ally of Hamas, but this would delay her release. Due to his continued captivity, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that he would not allow Gazans to return to the north of the enclave, maintaining his troops. In the wake of this threat, Hamas indicated that Arbel Yehoud would be part of the next round of liberations, Saturday February 1, reports Liberation.
Aged 29, she was kidnapped at the time of the October 7 attack while residing on Kibbutz Nir Oz with her partner, Ariel Cunio, aged 26, also a Hamas hostage. According to the newspaper, Arbel Yehud worked as a guide for space research and astronomy activities at the GrooveTech complex of the Eshkol regional council.
09:51 – The agreement in danger? Israel accuses Hamas of violations after failure to release hostage
Israel accuses Hamas of two violations of the agreement, according to a statement released on Sunday January 26 by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Jewish state demanded the release on Saturday of Arbel Yehoud, a civilian, which did not happen. He also asked for a “status list” of the hostages to be provided, to find out if they are alive or dead, which was not done as expected.
As a result, Israel justifies the maintenance of its troops in the Netzarim corridor, while their withdrawal was to allow the return of Gazans to the north of the enclave. The country threatens not to let residents return to their homes in northern Gaza until Arbel Yehud is released.
09:38 – The state of health of the ex-hostages is “stable”
The hospital that took care of the four Israeli soldiers released by Hamas declared on Saturday that their “long captivity in trying conditions is visible”, as could be expected. However, “I am happy to say that their state of health is stable,” said Dr. Lena Koren Feldman, deputy director of the establishment.
