By OSAMA SALEH, WAFAA SHURAFA and SAMY MAGDY
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — Tons of of 1000’s of Palestinians streamed into Gaza’s most closely destroyed space on Monday after Israel opened the north for the primary time for the reason that early weeks of the conflict with Hamas, a dramatic reversal of their exodus 15 months in the past.
Because the fragile ceasefire held right into a second week, Israel was knowledgeable by Hamas that eight of the hostages to be freed throughout the deal’s first section are lifeless.
Joyous crowds of Palestinians, some holding infants or pushing wheelchairs, walked alongside a seaside highway all day and into the night time, carrying bedrolls, bottles of water and different belongings. A number of armed, masked Hamas fighters flashed a victory signal. The group was watched over by Israeli tanks on a close-by hill.
Hamas has been designated as a terrorist group by america, Canada and the European Union.
The United Nations stated over 200,000 folks had been noticed shifting north in Gaza on Monday morning alone.
Palestinians who’ve been sheltering in squalid tent camps and former faculties are desirous to return to their houses — though they’re seemingly broken or destroyed. Many had feared that Israel would make their displacement everlasting.
Yasmin Abu Amshah, a mom of three, stated she walked 6 kilometers (almost 4 miles) to succeed in her broken however liveable Gaza Metropolis house. She noticed her youthful sister for the primary time in over a yr.
“It was a protracted journey, however a cheerful one,” she stated.
Many noticed their return as an act of steadfastness after Israel’s navy marketing campaign, launched in response to Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, assault on southern Israel. The return was additionally seen as a repudiation of U.S. President Donald Trump’s suggestion that many Palestinians be resettled in Egypt and Jordan, which these international locations have rejected.
Households of lifeless hostages are knowledgeable
Whether or not hostages are nonetheless alive inside Gaza has been a heartbreaking query for ready households who’ve pushed Israel’s authorities to succeed in a deal to free them, fearing that point was operating out.
Earlier than Monday’s announcement, Israel believed that at the very least 35 of the about 90 hostages taken within the Oct. 7 assault and nonetheless in Gaza had been lifeless.
Authorities spokesman David Mencer informed journalists {that a} checklist obtained in a single day from Hamas on the standing of the 33 hostages being freed underneath the ceasefire’s first section confirmed eight had been lifeless.
The households have been knowledgeable, he stated, including that the data matched what Israeli intelligence had believed.
The ceasefire is geared toward winding down the deadliest and most harmful conflict ever fought between Israel and Hamas. Terrorists killed some 1,200 folks, principally civilians, within the Oct. 7 assault and kidnapped one other 250.
Israel responded with an air and floor conflict that has killed over 47,000 Palestinians, over half of them ladies and youngsters, based on Gaza’s Well being Ministry. It doesn’t say how lots of the lifeless had been combatants. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 fighters, with out offering proof.
In all, round 90% of Gaza’s 2.3 million folks have been displaced.
‘The enjoyment of return’
Ismail Abu Matter, a father of 4 who waited for days close to the crossing level for northern Gaza, described scenes of jubilation, with folks singing, praying and crying.
“It’s the enjoyment of return,” stated Abu Matter, whose kinfolk had been among the many tons of of 1000’s of Palestinians who fled or had been pushed out of what’s now Israel throughout the 1948 conflict surrounding its creation. “We had thought we wouldn’t return, like our ancestors.”
The opening was delayed for 2 days as Israel stated Hamas had modified the order of the hostages it launched in change for tons of of Palestinian prisoners. Native medical officers stated Israeli forces opened fireplace on the ready crowd and killed a number of Palestinians over the weekend. Israel’s navy stated it fired warning photographs at approaching teams it deemed a risk.
Mediators resolved the dispute in a single day.
Hamas known as the return “a victory for our folks, and a declaration of failure and defeat for the (Israeli) occupation and switch plans.”
Within the conflict’s opening days, Israel ordered the evacuation of the north and sealed it off after floor troops moved in. Round one million folks fled south whereas tons of of 1000’s remained within the north, which had a few of the heaviest preventing and the worst destruction.
“That is our home, 4 tales. You’ll be able to’t see them,” one returning man, gesturing to a pile of rubble, stated in an AP video.
Hostage dispute rattled week-old ceasefire
Palestinians had been crossing on foot with out inspection by way of a part of the Netzarim hall, a navy zone bisecting the territory simply south of Gaza Metropolis that Israel carved out early within the conflict. A checkpoint for autos opened afterward Gaza’s important north-south freeway, the place site visitors was backed up for round 3 kilometers (2 miles).
Beneath the ceasefire settlement, autos are to be inspected for weapons earlier than getting into the north.
An Egyptian official stated Egyptian contractors, together with a U.S. agency, run checkpoints that examine autos heading by way of Salahuddin highway. The contractors are a part of an Egyptian-Qatari committee implementing the ceasefire, based on the official, who spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of he was not licensed to talk to the media.
Israel had delayed the crossing’s opening, which was purported to occur over the weekend, saying it could not permit Palestinians north till a civilian hostage, Arbel Yehoud, was launched. Israel stated she ought to have been launched earlier than 4 feminine troopers who had been freed on Saturday.
Israel additionally accused Hamas of failing to supply info on the hostages to be freed. Hamas in flip accused Israel of violating the settlement by not opening the crossing.
Qatar, a key mediator with Hamas, introduced early Monday that an settlement had been reached to launch Yehoud together with two different hostages by Friday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated the discharge — which can embody feminine soldier Agam Berger — will happen on Thursday. One other three hostages must be launched on Saturday as beforehand deliberate.
Protection Minister Israel Katz stated anybody violating the ceasefire or threatening Israeli forces “will bear the complete value.” Israel’s navy has warned Palestinians to not strategy its forces, which have withdrawn to buffer zones inside Gaza.
There have been combined feelings amongst Israelis watching the scene in Gaza from the close by metropolis of Sderot. Some expressed solely distrust towards the Palestinians. However others had been empathetic. “Allow them to come again house safely and conduct a traditional life,” stated one girl, Rachel Osher. “We additionally need it. We wish the identical on each side of the border.”
Shurafa reported from Wadi Gaza, Gaza Strip, and Magdy from Cairo. Related Press reporters Joe Krauss in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Mohammad Jahjouh and Abdel Kareem Hana in Wadi Gaza, Gaza Strip, contributed.
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