Israeli troops were preventing Palestinians from returning to their homes in the northern Gaza Strip on Sunday, as both Israel and Hamas accused each other of violating the terms of a cease-fire agreement that was implemented a week ago.
The initial phase of the deal, agreed upon earlier this month, anticipated that Israel would withdraw some of its forces to facilitate the movement of hundreds of thousands of displaced Gazans to the north following a hostage and prisoner exchange on Saturday.
Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, an Israeli military spokesman, alleged that Hamas violated the agreement by failing to return captive Israeli civilians first. Israeli officials indicated that under the terms, Arbel Yehud, an Israeli hostage in Gaza, was expected to be among the four women released on Saturday.
The hostages released were all soldiers who had served as lookouts at a base on the Gaza border and were abducted during the Hamas-led attack on Israel that initiated the ongoing conflict on October 7, 2023.
The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Gazans would not be permitted to move north “until the release of the civilian Arbel Yehud has been arranged,” leaving the timeline for troop withdrawal and the return of residents uncertain.
In response, Hamas accused Israel of stalling and breaching the agreement by obstructing the movement of displaced Gazans to the north.
Hamas asserted in a statement that it had informed mediators that Ms. Yehud was alive and had provided “all the necessary guarantees for her release.” The group expressed its intent to continue discussions with mediators to resolve the dispute, which marks a significant point of contention between the parties since the cease-fire was established after 15 months of intense conflict.
The cease-fire agreement was mediated by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt. Israeli officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding Hamas’s allegations.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.