Report: Hostage Arbel Yehud's release resolved

The matter of hostage Arbel Yehud's release has been resolved today (Sunday), according to al-Arabiya.

A representative of Palestinian Islamic Jihad had previously told Falastin al-Yum, the PIJ media outlet, that there are "great efforts to solve the crisis surrounding the release of Arbel Yehud, and that this may be resolved by tonight."

The military arm of the Popular Resistance Committees, who hold Arbel together with PIJ, reported that talks and meetings are now being conducted in order to reach an agreement regarding Arbel Yehud's release, possibly even before Saturday, according to Kann reporter Itay Blumenthal.

Hamas' failure to release Yehud, who is reportedly held by PIJ, was announced to be a serious breach of the hostage deal by Israel, which retaliated by refusing to allow displaced Gazans to cross from the humanitarian zone to their homes in the northern Gaza Strip via the Netzarim Corridor, either on foot or in vehicles.

Thousands of Gazans were held up today waiting to cross the Netzarim corridor, unable to pass the IDF's roadblock. According to the hostage deal, Gazans who move on foot to the northern Strip will be able to do so without being inspected, while vehicles will be checked by an American security company under Egyptian and Qatari oversight.

Hamas has also failed to provide Israel with a list of the remaining 26 hostages to be released in the first phase of the deal and their condition - including whether they are alive or dead. Unlike the matter of Yehud, Israel has not stated whether they will impose a cost or even withdraw from the deal over this violation.

Another hostage whose fate is now unclear is Shiri Bibas, whom many hoped would be released last Saturday but who remains a hostage of Hamas - and may not even be alive, anymore.