Palestinians return to northern Gaza after Hamas and Israel reach agreement
Gaza City, Gaza - Hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians on Monday began streaming towards what remains of their homes in the north of Gaza after Israel and Hamas said they had reached a deal for the release of another six hostages.
The breakthrough preserves a fragile ceasefire and paves the way for more hostage-prisoner swaps under an agreement aimed at ending the more than 15-month Israeli assault, which has devastated Gaza, displaced nearly all its residents, and crossed the threshold into genocide according to report after report.
Israel had been preventing Palestinians from returning to their homes in northern Gaza, accusing Hamas of violating the terms of the truce, but the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – wanted by the ICC for war crimes – said late Sunday that a new deal was reached.
Crowds began making their way north along a coastal road on foot Monday morning, carrying what belongings they could, AFPTV images showed.
"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," Ibrahim Abu Hassera told AFP.
Hamas called the return "a victory" for Palestinians that "signals the failure and defeat of the plans for occupation and displacement."
Its ally Islamic Jihad, meanwhile, called it a "response to all those who dream of displacing our people."
Palestinians respond to Trump's ethnic cleansing proposals
The comments came after US President Donald Trump floated an idea to "clean out" Gaza and displace Palestinians in Jordan and Egypt, drawing condemnation from regional leaders.
For Palestinians, any attempt to move them from Gaza would evoke dark memories of the Nakba – the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians during Israel's creation in 1948.
"We say to Trump and the whole world: we will not leave Palestine or Gaza, no matter what happens," Rashad al-Naji told AFP.
During the first phase of the Gaza truce, 33 Israelis are supposed to be freed in staggered releases over six weeks in exchange for around 1,900 Palestinians.
The most recent swap saw four Israeli female soldiers and 200 prisoners and detainees – mostly Palestinians – released Saturday in the second such exchange during the fragile truce entering its second week.
"We want the agreement to continue and for them to bring our children back as quickly as possible – and all at once," said Dani Miran, whose son Omri is not slated for release during the first phase.
The truce has brought a surge of food, fuel, medicines and other aid into rubble-strewn Gaza, but the UN says "the humanitarian situation remains dire."
Cover photo: REUTERS