Palestinians returning to northern Gaza after Hamas details status of hostages

January 28, 2025 by Pesach Benson
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Thousands of Palestinians began returning to their homes in northern Gaza as Israeli forces withdrew from part of the Netzarim corridor on Monday.

The move came after Hamas confirmed it would release six hostages in two groups this week, including civilian woman Arbel Yehud and soldier Agam Berger. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Office said on Monday morning that Yehud, Berger and a third unspecified hostage will be released on Thursday. Unconfirmed reports suggested that the third hostage would be US-Israeli national Keith Siegel. Another three hostages will be released on Saturday.

Israeli officials said they also received from Hamas a list detailing the conditions of the remaining hostages due to be released during the first phase of the ceasefire, which began on January 19 and will last 42 days. Hamas’s failure to provide the list by Saturday and release the 29-year-old Yehud before the soldiers was a violation of the ceasefire agreement, prompting Israel to delay the return of Palestinians to northern Gaza.

On Monday morning, thousands of Palestinians began streaming across the Netzarim corridor on foot. Lt.-Col. Avichay Adraee, the Israel Defense Force’s chief Arabic-language spokesman tweeted that pedestrians would be allowed to cross along Gaza’s Sea Road while vehicles would have cross along Salah a-Din Road, the Strip’s main north-south route. Cars would be inspected, he added.

“The entry of armed men or the transfer of weapons to the northern Strip will be considered a violation of the agreement,” Adraee tweeted. “It is prohibited to approach the Rafah Crossing area or the Philadelphi Corridor, it is prohibited to swim in the maritime area, and it is prohibited to approach Israeli territory or the buffer zone.”

Israeli Defense Minister vowed that Israel would “firmly enforce” ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon. The White House announced on Sunday night that the ceasefire in Lebanon would be extended to February 18. Under the terms of the Hezbollah ceasefire, Israel was supposed to gradually withdraw its forces from Lebanon, with the Lebanese Armed Forces taking control of southern Lebanon. But Jerusalem is not satisfied with the Lebanese army’s deployment.

“Anyone who breaks the rules or threatens IDF troops — will bear the full price,” Katz tweeted on Monday. “We will not allow a return to the reality of October 7,” Katz added.

But right-wing politicians slammed the decision to allow Palestinians to return to northern Gaza.

MK Itamar Ben-Gvir called the concession “another humiliating part” of the “reckless” ceasefire agreement, tweeting, “This is not what ‘total victory’ looks like — this is what total surrender looks like.”

The family of Arbel Yehud said, “We yearn for the moment when we can embrace our Arbel again, and desperately pray for the return of all the hostages,” in a statement released by the Hostages Families Forum.

The first phase of the ceasefire is supposed to see a total of 33 Israeli hostages freed over six weeks in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian terrorists imprisoned in Israel. The exact number will depend on how many are alive. So far, seven Israelis have been released.

The fate of the remaining 65 hostages will be determined by negotiations to begin on the 16th day of the ceasefire. Critics say the phased approach condemns hostages not freed in the beginning to open-ended captivity and undermines Israel’s war gains.

At least 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 90 remaining hostages, more than 30 have been declared dead.

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