Masses of displaced Palestinians began heading towards northern Gaza on Monday after Israel and Hamas announced an agreement for the release of six additional hostages.
This development helps maintain a fragile ceasefire and opens the possibility for further exchanges of hostages and prisoners, aimed at resolving the over 15-month conflict that has ravaged Gaza and left almost all of its residents displaced.
For months, Israel had barred Palestinians from returning to their homes in northern Gaza, accusing Hamas of breaching ceasefire terms. However, Netanyahu’s office announced late Sunday that after the new deal, Palestinians would be allowed to return. By Monday morning, people began walking north along the coastal road, carrying what little they could salvage.
Ibrahim Abu Hassera, a displaced Gazan, expressed his relief, saying, “It’s a great feeling when you go back home, back to your family, relatives, and loved ones, and inspect your house — if it is still a house.”
Hamas labeled the return as a “victory” for Palestinians, interpreting it as a defeat for Israel’s efforts to occupy and displace them. Similarly, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group called it a “response to all those who dream of displacing our people.”
This comes after comments from former U.S. President Donald Trump suggesting the idea of relocating Palestinians from Gaza to Jordan or Egypt, which sparked outrage among regional leaders.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas condemned any plans that aimed to displace Palestinians from Gaza. Hamas’s Bassem Naim reaffirmed that Palestinians would thwart such displacement efforts, as they have done in the past.
