ALBAWABA - Prior to the next phase of the current hostage and prisoner exchange arrangement between Israel and Palestinian resistance organizations, the Islamic Jihad movement declared its intention to free Israeli captive Erbil Yehud.
In an anonymous statement to Reuters, an Islamic Jihad official verified that mediators had reached a consensus on Yehud's release. "It will be released before to Saturday. In order to hasten the return of displaced people to the north, the movement has shown a great deal of flexibility," the official said.
As part of the continuing exchange agreement, Hamas on Saturday turned over four Israeli women soldiers to the International Red Cross in Gaza City. Hundreds of Palestinians including Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants attended the handover ceremony.
Daniel Gilboa, Karina Ariev, Liri Albag, and Naama Levy, the freed troops, were taken prisoner during the October 7, 2023, invasion of southern Israel. Before being driven away by Red Cross cars, they emerged grinning and in military dress as they went onto a platform.
In accordance with the Gaza peace deal, which calls for the release of 30 Palestinian inmates for each Israeli prisoner, Hamas last week freed three Israeli women. The deal is a component of continuous efforts to reduce hostilities and promote humanitarian solutions in the area.
