Thousands Return to North Gaza for 1st Time Since War as Israel Opens Crossings

Photo : Reuters

Tens of thousands of Palestinians, who had to leave their homes because of the war, began going back to northern Gaza on Monday. This happened after Israel and Hamas made a deal for the release of six hostages. This deal helps keep a fragile ceasefire, which is trying to end the 15-month war that has ruined Gaza and forced many people to leave.

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Israel had stopped people from going back to northern Gaza, saying Hamas had broken the ceasefire. But after a new deal was made, the crossings were opened. The news came late on Sunday, and by Monday morning, people were allowed to return to their homes.

The first people arrived in Gaza City at 7:00 am, and more crossed over at 9:00 am. Once the news spread, thousands of people began walking towards the north, carrying what they could with them.

“I feel so good going back home to my family and seeing if my house is still there,” said Ibrahim Abu Hassera, a person who had to leave Gaza. "It feels great."

At first, people were supposed to go back over the weekend, but Israel stopped it because they said Hamas had not released a hostage. This made many people angry, especially since they had been waiting for days. But now, they’re happy to be going back, even if it’s later than expected.

Ghada, a mother of five, said, “I’m happy to go back home. Now, I can say the war is over, and I hope it stays calm.” She added, “I didn’t sleep, and I’m ready to leave as soon as the sun comes up.”

The Israeli army had warned that people could only return by walking on the coastal road starting at 5:00 am, and by car on a different road starting at 7:00 am. They also told people not to go near Israeli soldiers and said anyone trying to move weapons or militants would break the agreement.

Late on Sunday, Qatar said Hamas had agreed to free Yehud, an Israeli hostage, and two others by Friday. In return, Israel said it would allow the people to return to northern Gaza on Monday. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu also said Yehud and two other hostages would be freed by Thursday, with more hostages to be released by Saturday.

Around 650,000 Palestinians from southern and central Gaza will now be able to go back to their homes in the north. Many of these homes have been destroyed by Israel’s airstrikes and ground fighting.

The war started after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, taking 250 hostages and killing about 1,200 people. Since then, the violence has caused a lot of destruction. The new agreement, made by Qatar and Egypt, is a small step toward peace, but people are still waiting for things to get better.