The hostages include Arbel Yehud - the civilian at the centre of a row which had led to Israel delaying Palestinians' from heading to north Gaza.

Israel let tens of thousands of Palestinians go back to northern Gaza for the first time since the early weeks of the 15-month war with Hamas​, under terms of a fragile ceasefire​.

An agreement has been reached between Israel and Hamas that involves the release of additional hostages and the return of Palestinians to the northern part of the Gaza Strip.