Tens of thousands of residents start returning to northern Gaza as crossing opened
GAZA – Tens of thousands of Palestinians began moving along the main roads leading north in Gaza on Monday as the Zionist occupation opened roadblocks after Hamas agreed to hand over three captives.
Television images showed large crowds on the move, and witnesses said the first residents arrived in Gaza City in the early morning after the first crossing point in central Gaza opened at 7.00 a.m. (0500 GMT). Another crossing was due to open at 9.00 a.m.
As news that the crossings would be opened filtered out, thousands of displaced families burst into cheers at shelters and tent encampments.
This comes after Qatar announced that Hamas has agreed to release female “Israeli” captive Arbel Yehud and two others by Friday and provided information on the conditions of those set to be freed in the first phase of the ceasefire deal.
The ceasefire deal, which began to be implemented on January 19 with the first exchange of “Israeli” captives and Palestinian detainees, was supposed to allow for the return of displaced Palestinians from southern Gaza to the north after the second exchange of captives for prisoners, which took place on Saturday.
However, the occupation forces blocked Palestinian civilians from approaching the so-called Netzarim corridor on Sunday, firing on the crowds on at least three separate occasions, according to medical sources. The Zionist forces’ attacks resulted in at least two Palestinian martyrs, according to al-Awda Hospital, and over nine were injured, including a child.
Around 650,000 Palestinians in central and southern Gaza Strip are set to return to their homes in the north of the enclave, most of which were destroyed by the occupation’s relentless airstrikes during 15 months of genocide.
Under the first phase of the ceasefire, which runs until early March, Hamas is to free a total of 33 captives in exchange for the release of nearly 2,000 Palestinians detained by the occupation.
If it is determined that the conditions have been met for a second phase, Hamas will release all the remaining living captives, mostly male soldiers, in return for the freeing of more Palestinians held in the occupation’s prison system, in addition to the “complete withdrawal” of the occupation forces from Gaza.
During 15 months of genocide, the Zionist occupation had claimed the lives of at least 47,306 Palestinians and wounded 111,483. However, the toll is expected to increase as thousands of victims remain trapped under the rubble.
