Tens of thousands of Palestinians began moving along a main road leading north in Gaza on Monday morning as Israel opened roadblocks after terror groups agreed to release six hostages in two batches this week, including civilian woman Arbel Yehoud and female soldier Agam Berger.
Starting at 7 a.m., Palestinians were allowed to cross on foot without inspection through part of the so-called Netzarim Corridor, a military zone bisecting the territory just south of Gaza City that Israel carved out early in the war.
Massive crowds of people carrying their belongings on foot stretched along a coastal highway in a stunning reversal of the mass exodus from the north at the start of the war.
Palestinians who have been sheltering in squalid tent camps and schools-turned-shelters for over a year are eager to return to their homes — even knowing that they have likely been damaged or destroyed in the fighting.
“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,” said displaced Gazan Ibrahim Abu Hassera.
Channel 13 news reported that the IDF began bringing in US monitors who are to take over policing a checkpoint on the Netzarim Corridor to prevent the movement of terror group fighters and weapons north. According to reports and the terms of the deal, armed US personnel from a private security company will check vehicles traveling north on the key route.
Meanwhile, Hamas deployed armed fighters in some areas to marshal the crowds, the movement of which it declared as a strategic achievement and “victory” over Israel.
According to Palestinian reports, some 650,000 people are expected to return to their homes in north Gaza.
Agreement on Sunday over the release of hostages this week and return of Gazans to the north resolved a snag that had rattled the complex ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that came into effect on January 19.
During the 15 months of fighting, Israel was wary about allowing the movement of Gazans from the south to the north fearing Hamas would use the opportunity to reposition its fighters.
The Israel Defense Forces warned returning Palestinians against approaching the positions of Israeli forces still in the area, with the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesperson tweeting instructions to Gazan civilians.
Spokesman Avichay Adraee issued a series of warnings to Gazans, including not to transport terror operatives or weapons to northern Gaza; not to approach IDF positions and troops in Gaza or Israeli territory; not to approach the Rafah Crossing and Philadelphi Corridor area in southern Gaza; and not to swim, dive or fish in the Mediterranean Sea in the coming days.
No comments:
Post a Comment