Gaza: Israeli troops have withdrawn from the Netzarim Corridor, a military zone separating northern and southern Gaza. Following the pull-out, hundreds of Palestinians, many with mattresses and belongings, returned to northern Gaza, often encountering scenes of destruction. This move aligns with the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement of 19 January, which has resulted in the release of 16 Israeli hostages and 566 Palestinian prisoners.
By the end of the first stage of the ceasefire, 33 hostages and 1,900 prisoners are expected to be freed, though Israel reports that eight of the hostages are dead. Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attack on Israel took 251 hostages and caused the deaths of around 1,200 people, triggering the ongoing Gaza conflict, BBC reported.
Palestinian casualties soar in Gaza
The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza reports at least 48,189 Palestinian deaths from Israeli offensives, with two-thirds of Gaza’s buildings damaged or destroyed, according to the UN. Crowds of Palestinians were seen moving north through the corridor after the Israeli withdrawal. Mahmoud al-Sarhi told the AFP news agency that for him “arriving at the Netzarim Corridor meant death until this morning”.
At the onset of the war, about 700,000 residents of northern Gaza fled to southern areas following Israeli military evacuation orders before a ground invasion. Many of the displaced were forced to relocate multiple times as Israeli forces advanced into southern Gaza, and they were also blocked from returning through the Netzarim Corridor, which stretches from the Gaza-Israel border to the Mediterranean Sea.
Partial withdrawal opens passage
Last month, Israeli forces partially withdrew from the western section of the corridor, allowing the first pedestrians to cross into northern Gaza along Rashid Street. Those using vehicles must travel via Salah al-Din Street, where they undergo weapons screening by US and Egyptian security contractors.
The Israel Defense Forces have not commented officially on their withdrawal from the eastern part of the corridor, which leaves control of Gaza’s borders but not the road that previously split the region. The Hamas-run Gaza interior ministry has urged residents to follow movement guidelines for their safety.
