Israeli forces withdraw from a corridor that divides Gaza into two

The Israeli forces withdrew from the Netzarim Corridor – a military zone that crosses the northern Gaza Strip from the south.

Hundreds of Palestinians began cars and cars loaded with mattresses and other commodities to return to northern Gaza after withdrawing – often to scenes of complete destruction.

The Israeli withdrawal is in line with the ceasefire agreement in Israel on January 19, according to which 16 Israeli hostages and 566 Palestinian prisoners were released.

By the end of the first stage of the ceasefire within three weeks, 33 hostages and 1900 prisoners are expected to be released. Israel says that eight of the 33 died.

Hamas seized 251 hostages and killed about 1,200 people when Israel attacked October 7, 2023, which led to the Gaza war.

At least 48,189 Palestinians were killed in the Israeli attack, according to the Hamas Ministry of Health in Gaza. The United Nations says that about two -thirds of Gaza buildings have been damaged or destroyed by Israel’s attacks.

On Sunday, crowds of Palestinians were seen crossing the Netzarim Corridor – most of them move north to find out what happened to their deserted homes.

“What we saw was a disaster, a horrific destruction. [Israeli] Osama Abu Camille, a resident of Al -Majraqa, north of Nitzarim, told the news agency to Agence France -Presse that the occupation destroyed all homes, shops, farms, mosques, universities and the court of “Osama Abu Cameel, a resident of the Maggara north of Nitzarim, to the France Presse news agency.

The 57 -year -old, who was forced to live for more than a year in Khan Unit in southern Ghazan, said he is now planning to create a tent for me and my family next to the ruins of our house.

“We have no choice,” he added.

“For his arrival at Netzarim, death until this morning,” Mahmoud Al -Sarhi, the last Palestinian exhibition.

He said this was the “first time I saw our destroyed house,” referring to his house in the nearby Zaitoun area.

“The entire area is ruined. I cannot live here,” he added.

About 700,000 residents of the north of Gaza fled to the southern regions at the beginning of the war, when the Israeli army issued the orders of collective evacuation before the launch of a ground invasion of the Palestinian territories.

Many people were then forced to move several times after the Israeli forces pushed southern Gaza as well.

They were also prevented from returning to their homes through the Netzarim Corridor, and extends from the borders of Gaza Israel to the Mediterranean Sea.

The Israeli forces partially withdrew from the west from the corridor last month and the first Palestinians – the infantry – they were allowed to walk along the Rashid Al -Sahili Street while crossing to northern Gaza.

Those who are in vehicles must use Salah al -Din Street and are subject to weapons examination by us and Egyptian security contractors.

The Israeli Defense Forces did not officially comment on the withdrawal of Sunday from the eastern part of the corridor, which will leave it in controlling the Gaza border, but not the road it has cut in half.

Haritz newspaper says that the Hamas Ministry of Interior in Gaza is urging people to “be careful and adhere to the guidance of the current movement for their safety.”

The withdrawal of the forces as an Israeli delegation is expected to fly to Qatar, which was alleviating the talks between the two sides in the Gaza war.

The Israeli government previously stated that the delegation will initially discuss “technical matters” regarding the first stage of the ceasefire deal, instead of the second most challenging stage that aims to lead to a permanent ceasefire, and exchange all the remaining hostages in Gaza for more prisoners Palestinians and withdraw the full Israeli forces from Gaza.

This will require additional directive from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is currently returning from the United States.

Netanyahu has become the first foreign leader to meet US President Donald Trump since his return to the White House on January 20.

During the journey, in the most dramatic transformation of the US policy in relation to Gaza for decades, Trump called for the removal of the civilian population in the region and the development of what he called “Riviera in the Middle East”.

This proposal, which will be a crime under international law, was almost rejected globally, including Arab countries.

The Saudi Foreign Ministry said on Saturday that it will not accept “any violation of the rights of Palestinian undesirable, and any attempts to displacement,” accused Israel “of ethnic cleansing.”

Egypt also rejected any idea of ​​the removal of the Palestinian population and said that it calls for the emergency summit in the Arab League on February 27 to discuss what was called the Palestinian “dangerous” developments.

When asked about Trump’s plan, the President of Israel told Isaac Herzog BBC that the time has come for new ideas from the neighbors of the United States, Israel and Jordan’s neighbors – who the American leader wants to take in the Palestinians.

“We will have to find the correct way to ensure that what happened [7 October] It will not be repeated again, and this means that Hamas will not rule Gaza anymore. ”He told Herwage on Sunday in the BBC with the Laura Quinsburg program.