Due to Hamas breach of deal, Israel halts movement of Gazans north

Under the terms of the ceasefire agreement with Israel that took effect on Jan. 19, Hamas is obligated to release civilian women and children hostages before freeing female soldiers. But on Saturday, the terrorist organization released four female soldiers in the Israeli Defense Forces while keeping civilian Arbel Yehudin captivity.

Hamas was also supposed to say on Saturday how many of the 33 hostages to be released in the first stage of the ceasefire are alive. It has not done so. It did claim that Yehud is alive and well, and will freed as part of the next batch of captives on Feb. 1.

Israel postponed its response to Hamas’s breach of the agreement until the safe return of the four hostages. Now that they are in Israeli custody, discussions took place, leading to the decision to suspend the return of displaced Palestinians from southern Gaza to the northern Strip until Yehud is back in Israel.   (Read More)