Hamas releases three more Israeli hostages, easing the first crisis in the ceasefire agreement

Hamas is expected to release three more Israeli hostages by Friday, including Arbel Yehuda, whose delayed release has led to the first major crisis in the fragile deal between Israel and Hamas.

Qatar, which acts as a mediator between Israel and Hamas, announced early Monday morning that an agreement had been reached to release an Israeli civilian hostage and allow Palestinians to return to northern Gaza.

The announcement came after Israel said that Arbel Yehudah, a civilian, was to be released by Hamas before the four female soldiers who were released on Saturday.

Israel also accused Hamas of failing to provide details of the conditions of the hostages, who are due to be released in the coming weeks.

As a result, Israeli authorities have refused to allow safe passage to thousands of Palestinians hoping to return to northern Gaza, as agreed in a ceasefire deal following Saturday's hostage release.

The Qatari statement said Hamas would hand over civilian hostage Arbel Yehuda along with two other hostages by Friday. On Monday, Israeli authorities would allow the Palestinians to return to northern Gaza as part of the deal.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said in a statement that the release of the hostages - which will include soldier Agam Berger - will take place on Thursday, and confirmed that the Palestinians may move north on Monday.

The Israeli army said people could begin crossing on foot at 7 a.m., resulting in tens of thousands of people returning for the first time since the war began.

Mixed feelings from the families of the remaining hostages

In their first public comments since being reunited with their loved ones, relatives of the four Israeli soldiers who were freed from captivity in Gaza on Sunday expressed joy and gratitude, but said their struggle would not end until all the remaining hostages were home.

"Naama is now safe here with us, surrounded by family and friends and protected. But the fight is not over," said her father Yoni Levy in a press statement at the hospital where the women are still undergoing medical examinations.

"There are still 90 hostages we have to bring home. These are our sons and daughters, the foundations on which our country stands," He added.

Twenty-year-old Karina Arieva, 20-year-old Daniella Gilboa, 20-year-old Naama Levy and 19-year-old Liri Albag were released by Hamas on Saturday after more than 15 months in captivity.

Hospital officials described the condition of the four women as stable.

In exchange, Israel released 200 Palestinian prisoners.

Orly Gilboa, Danielle's mother, said that her daughter "came back pale and faded"but that it is "as amazing as the day she was taken from us."

Earlier Sunday, the first three women released from Gaza under the current ceasefire were released from the hospital, a spokesman for the Sheba Medical Center said.

Itzik Hornwho has two sons being held hostage in Gaza, says he feels happy about the four hostages being released "from hell", but fears what will follow.

Iair Horn, 46, is expected to be released in the first phase of the ceasefire, but his brother Eitan, 38, is not.

"On the one hand, I have one son on the list (to be released in the first phase), but I have another who is not released," he said, adding that he hoped Israel would not resume fighting after the first part of the deal.

He urged the newly inaugurated US President Donald Trump to keep up the pressure on the negotiators and the Israeli government.

"We need to get everyone out of there." Itzik said.

Uncertainty about the second phase of the ceasefire

The ceasefire, reached earlier this month after more than a year of negotiations, aims to end the 15-month war sparked by the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023, as well as free hostages still being held in Gaza in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

Approximately 90 hostages are still being held and Israeli authorities believe that at least a third and up to half of them were killed in the first attack or died in captivity.

The first phase of the ceasefire lasts until the beginning of March and includes the release of a total of 33 hostages and nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.

The second - and much more difficult - phase has yet to be negotiated.

Hamas has said it will not release the remaining hostages without an end to the war, while Israel has threatened to continue its offensive until Hamas is destroyed.

Dani Miran, the father of hostage Omri Miran, who is not among the 33 released, also says he has hope in President Trump: "I'm full of hope and most of us families are putting our hope in President Trump because our government - it's not doing anything anymore, it can't make decisions, it needs to be forced, it needs to be pushed to do what needs to be done, to get everybody back, everybody. I want my son back."

Talks on the second phase are due to begin on February 3, the 16th day of the ceasefire, which was concluded on January 19.

Israel has said that after the first phase of the ceasefire ends, it will decide how to proceed.

He also said he would not agree to a complete withdrawal from Gaza until Hamas' military and political capabilities were eliminated.

Hamas, for its part, says it will not hand over the last hostages until Israel withdraws all its soldiers from the territory.

Both sides will have to agree on a plan for the governance of Gaza. Hamas has said it would be willing to concede but may still seek to participate in any future government, which Israel rejects.

euronews/ gnews.cz - RoZ

A reunion after a long time in the West Bank city of Beitunia near Ramallah PHOTO - Xinhua/ Ayman Nobani