Israel allows displaced Palestinians to return to northern Gaza

Israel on Monday began permitting thousands of Palestinians to return to the devastated northern Gaza Strip for the first time since the early weeks of the 15-month conflict between Israel and the militant group Hamas. The move comes as part of a fragile ceasefire agreement currently in place.

Beginning at 7 a.m., Palestinians were permitted to cross on foot without inspection through a section of the Netzarim Corridor, a military zone that Israel established early in the war. The corridor, which runs south of Gaza City, bisects the territory and has been a key area of Israeli control.

What’s The Context

The reopening was delayed for two days due to a disagreement between Hamas and Israel, after Israel accused the militant group of altering the agreed order of hostage releases in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Mediators successfully resolved the dispute overnight, allowing the return process to proceed.

Palestinians who have spent over a year sheltering in overcrowded tent camps and makeshift schools are eager to return home, despite the likelihood that their houses have been damaged or destroyed.

What To Know

Ismail Abu Matter, a father of four who waited three days before crossing with his family, described scenes of jubilation upon their return. He said people were singing, praying, and crying as they reunited with loved ones after months of separation.

How Many People Are Affected?

In the early days of the war, Israel ordered a mass evacuation of northern Gaza and quickly sealed off the area after ground troops advanced. Around a million people fled south in October 2023, while hundreds of thousands remained in the north, enduring some of the most intense fighting and widespread destruction of the conflict.

How Did the Most Recent Middle East Conflict Start?

Hamas launched the war on Oct. 7, 2023, when thousands of its fighters stormed into southern Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people—mostly civilians—and abducting around 250 others. Israeli authorities estimate that about 90 hostages remain in Gaza, with around a third believed to be dead.

According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, Israel’s air and ground campaign has resulted in over 47,000 Palestinian deaths, more than half of whom were women and children. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants. Israel, meanwhile, claims to have killed over 17,000 Hamas militants, though it has not provided evidence to support this figure.

What People Are Saying

Gaza resident Ismail Abu Matter said: “It’s the joy of return.” He added “We had thought we wouldn’t return, like our ancestors.”

Iran-backed militant group Hamas said the return was “a victory for our people, and a declaration of failure and defeat for the (Israeli) occupation and transfer plans.”

Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel would continue to enforce the ceasefire, and that anyone violating it or threatening Israeli forces “will bear the full cost.” He wrote on the platform X: “We will not allow a return to the reality of Oct. 7.”

What Happens Next

Under the first phase of the ceasefire, set to last until early March, Hamas is expected to release a total of 33 hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. So far, Hamas has freed seven hostages, including four female soldiers, in exchange for more than 300 Palestinian prisoners, many of whom were serving life sentences for deadly attacks on Israelis.

The second phase of the agreement, which is expected to be more challenging, has yet to be negotiated. Hamas has insisted it will not release the remaining 60 or so hostages unless Israel agrees to end the war. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains firm in his commitment to dismantling Hamas and ending its nearly 18-year rule over Gaza.

This article includes reporting from The Associated Press