Talks under way to secure release of further Israeli hostage in Gaza

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Talks are under way to arrange the release of an Israeli hostage who also has German citizenship in exchange for 30 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) paramilitary organization says.

The woman is alive and the conditions of her release are being negotiated with Israel with the help of mediators, Mohammed Hindi, deputy secretary general of the PIJ, told dpa, without giving a time frame for her release.

The Times of Israel newspaper reported that Israel has confirmed that talks are taking place. Broadcaster Al Jazeera has cited the PIJ as saying a deal has been reached.

Palestinian militants abducted the woman to Gaza during the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel.

The agreement on the ceasefire and the exchange of hostages for imprisoned Palestinians stipulates that civilians should be released first. However, the Islamist militant group Hamas released four young female soldiers instead on Saturday.

In return, Israel released around 200 Palestinians from custody. The next release of three more hostages is set to take place next Saturday, according to the agreement.

Israel says the absence of civilian releases is a violation of the ceasefire agreement. Hamas meanwhile says Israel is violating the deal by blocking the return of Gaza civilians to the north of the coastal strip, which should have been allowed from one week after the start of the ceasefire on January 19.

On the southern side of the Israeli military's Netzarim corridor, which divides the coastal strip from west to east into two parts, thousands of people are reported to be queuing up to return to their homes in the north.

Two people were killed and 15 wounded by Israeli soldiers' gunfire, according to medical sources in the Gaza Strip. The information could not initially be independently verified.