Palestinians begin return to north Gaza as deal reached to free six hostages happymamay

The Palestinians began returning to the northern Gaza Strip after Israel said that an agreement had been reached requiring Hamas to release six hostages this week.

Among the hostages was Erbil Yahud – the civilian who was at the heart of the line.

Hamas released four soldiers on Saturday, but not Ms. Yehud. Israel accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire agreement under which Israeli civilians would be released first in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners.

Since the ceasefire agreement entered into force, seven hostages and just under 300 prisoners have been released.

Video footage showed thousands of displaced Palestinians walking northward after they gathered at a military checkpoint preventing their progress two days ago.

The ceasefire and agreement to release hostages and prisoners entered into force on January 19. Two exchanges were completed.

In the third phase, Hamas will release Jews and two other hostages on Thursday, followed by three more on Saturday, said Netanyahu and Qatar, which mediated the talks.

Israel will begin allowing Palestinians to move north on Monday, in addition to releasing more Palestinian prisoners later in the week.

Under the terms of the ceasefire agreement, Palestinians were scheduled to be allowed to travel north of the Netzarim Corridor, a seven-kilometre-long strip of land controlled by Israel that separates northern Gaza from the rest of the Strip, on Saturday. .

Earlier, photos showed huge crowds waiting to pass.

“We are sleeping in the streets,” Nirim Musabih told the BBC at the checkpoint on Sunday. “We cannot go home, and every time we try to go home they shoot us.”

The 42-year-old woman had traveled from Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, but was displaced from her home in Shujaiya in the south.

Diab Al-Shahbari said that he had been at the checkpoint since 20:30 local time (18:30 GMT) on Saturday.

“The children were screaming all night because of the cold, so we made a fire and covered them,” he said.

Israel said it would allow residents to return to the northern Gaza Strip from 07:00 local time (05:00 GMT) on Monday, and by vehicles two hours later, after the dispute over Ms. Yehud is resolved.

Qatari and Egyptian mediators who facilitated talks between Israel and Hamas participated in efforts to end the conflict. The Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman announced the hack moments before the Israeli Prime Minister.

Israel asked the mediators for proof from Hamas that Mrs. Yehud is alive. It appears to have been delivered to the Egyptians early on Saturday evening, the BBC has learned.

Earlier on Sunday, US President Donald Trump said that he wants Egypt and Jordan to receive Palestinians from GazaWhich he described as a “demolition site.”

Both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority condemned the idea, while Jordan and Egypt also rejected the proposal.

A ceasefire agreement in January stopped the war that began when Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023. About 1,200 people were killed and 251 were returned to Gaza as hostages.

The Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza says more than 47,200 Palestinians, the majority of them civilians, were killed in the Israeli attack.

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