Israel yet to receive update from Hamas on which of remaining 26 hostages to be freed in first phase are alive

As midnight approaches on the seventh day of the hostage-ceasefire deal with Hamas, Israel has yet to receive information from the terror group on the remainder of the 33 hostages set to be released in the first stage, which was meant to be handed over by the end of today.

Seven hostages have been released so far as part of the deal, in exchange for around 300 Palestinian security prisoners.

According to the terms of the agreement, the Palestinian terror group was meant to let Israel know by today which of the remaining 26 hostages on the list, all of whom fall into the so-called “humanitarian” category of women, children, elderly individuals, and the infirm, are alive.

Senior Israeli officials quoted by Hebrew media sites confirm that Jerusalem has not received the update, and that failure to provide it is a violation of the accord.

Earlier today, Israel said that it would hold off on allowing displaced Palestinians to return to northern Gaza after it said Hamas violated the terms of the ceasefire-hostage deal by not freeing female civilian captive Arbel Yehud.

Hamas freed four female soldiers held hostage by Hamas for 477 days — Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy and Liri Albag — despite the deal stipulating that all living civilian women be freed before the soldiers.

Some unconfirmed media reports have said Israel has insisted on first receiving the living among the 33, with bodies returned at the end.