The face of Arbel Yehud haunts Gaza today, as her captivity by Islamic Jihad terrorists brings movement across the strip to a standstill. Thousands of Palestinians crowd the Netzarim crossing, their return home blocked until the militants release their Israeli hostage.
Hamas has twice violated the ceasefire agreement - failing to free Yehud in the second phase of releases and withholding critical information about other captives' status. Their broken promises cast a shadow over hopes for further hostage returns.
The scene at Netzarim tells a story of Hamas's cynical tactics: using their own population as leverage while an innocent Israeli woman remains in terrorist hands. Islamic Jihad's sudden admission of holding Yehud adds another layer of complexity to securing her freedom.
