Palestinians stream back to northern Gaza after Israel lifts closure

Thousands of Palestinians are streaming backmost into the bluish Gaza Strip Monday aft Israel lifted its closure arsenic portion of the cease-fire and hostage merchandise woody with Hamas. 

Starting astatine 7 a.m. section time, Palestinians were allowed to transverse connected ft without inspection via a coastal roadworthy passing done portion of a subject portion bisecting the territory just southbound of Gaza City, that Israel carved retired aboriginal successful the war. A checkpoint for vehicles opened aboriginal connected Gaza's main north-south highway, wherever postulation was backed up for astir 2 miles. 

"The transportation of militants oregon weapons via these routes to the bluish Gaza Strip volition beryllium considered a breach of the agreement. Do not cooperate with immoderate violent entity that whitethorn effort to exploit you to transportation weapons oregon prohibited materials," Israel’s subject warned successful a statement, according to Reuters. 

Hamas is calling the instrumentality "a triumph for our people, and a declaration of nonaccomplishment and decision for the (Israeli) concern and transportation plans," according to the Associated Press. 

ISRAEL, HAMAS REACH DEAL TO ALLOW PALESTINIANS TO RETURN TO NORTHERN GAZA 

An aerial photograph taken by a drone shows displaced Palestinians returning to their homes successful the bluish Gaza Strip connected Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, pursuing Israel's determination to let thousands of them to spell backmost for the archetypal clip since the aboriginal weeks of the 15-month warfare with Hamas.  (AP/Mohammad Abu Samra)

Yasmin Abu Amshah, a parent of three, told the AP that she walked astir 4 miles to scope her damaged but inactive habitable location successful Gaza City, wherever she besides saw her younger sister for the archetypal clip successful much than a year. 

"It was a agelong trip, but a blessed one," she said. "The astir important happening is that we returned." 

Around a cardinal radical fled to confederate Gaza successful October 2023, portion hundreds of thousands remained successful the north, which had immoderate of the heaviest warring and the worst demolition of the war. In all, astir 90% of Gaza’s 2.3 cardinal radical person been displaced, the quality bureau says. 

Israel had delayed the opening of the crossing, which was expected to hap implicit the weekend, saying it would not let Palestinians northbound until a pistillate civilian hostage, Arbel Yehoud, was released. Israel said she should person been released earlier 4 young pistillate soldiers, who were freed connected Saturday. 

ISRAELI VICTIMS OF TERROR CONCERNED WITH MURDERERS’ RELEASE FROM PRISON, RELIEVED 7 HOSTAGES BACK HOME

Displaced Palestinians instrumentality to their homes successful the bluish Gaza Strip connected Monday. (AP/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Hamas successful crook accused Israel of violating the statement by not opening the crossing. 

The Gulf federation of Qatar, a cardinal mediator with Hamas, past announced aboriginal Monday that an statement had been reached to merchandise Yehoud on with 2 different hostages. 

Hamas besides handed implicit a database of accusation astir the hostages to beryllium released successful the ceasefire’s six-week archetypal phase. 

Palestinians are seen Monday walking on a roadworthy to bluish Gaza. (AP/Abdel Kareem Hana)

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Under that phase, Hamas is to escaped a full of 33 hostages successful speech for the merchandise of astir 2,000 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. So acold nether the truce, the violent enactment has released 7 hostages successful speech for much than 300 prisoners. Shiri Bibas and her children Ariel and Kfir were expected to beryllium released implicit the weekend, but that did not happen. Shiri's husband, Yarden Bibas, is besides among the hostages.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.