Huge crowds await return to north after delays

Thousands of displaced Palestinians trying to reach northern Gaza have gathered in front of an Israeli military barrier blocking their progress.

The images showed massive crowds waiting to pass through the Netzarim Corridor, a road that separates northern and southern Gaza and is controlled by Israeli troops.

Israel was due to withdraw its forces from the area this weekend, but they remained there after the government accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire agreement.

Israel said it would continue to block the road to northern Gaza because Arbel Yehud, a civilian hostage, was not released on Saturday. Hamas responded by providing proof that she is alive and said she would be released next weekend.

Saturday, Hamas freed four female Israeli soldiers he had been held hostage since October 7, 2023, in exchange for 200 Palestinian prisoners. Ms. Yehud, a non-military hostage, was to be released first.

Mediators in Egypt and Doha are holding meetings on the smooth and safe return of displaced Palestinians to their northern homes, but a senior Palestinian official told the BBC the process remains stalled.

There were chaotic scenes Saturday evening as Palestinians who expected to be able to march north after the hostages were freed found the road still blocked by Israeli tanks.

As crowds gathered along the al-Rashid road in central Gaza on their way home, shots were reportedly fired.

In a video posted online, which BBC Verify confirmed was filmed on that road, people could be seen panicking and four gunshots were heard.

In another incident, the Reuters news agency, citing the Hamas-run Health Ministry, and Palestinian media reported that one person was killed and others injured.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said its troops in central Gaza fired after “several gatherings of dozens of suspects were identified and posed a threat to the forces.”

A statement continued: “Contrary to reports emerging in recent hours, all shootings in the area were carried out with the aim of distancing and not against injuries. We emphasize that at this stage, no injuries among the suspects are known .occurred following the shooting.

Earlier on Saturday, Muhammad Emad Al-Din was among thousands of people waiting to return home in northern Gaza.

“I know my house could be destroyed, but I will pitch a tent over its remains. I just want to go back,” he told the BBC by telephone.

“I need my job back. I am a barber in Gaza and I am trying to find a way to repair the damage to my salon and restart my business. I have become indebted to so many people and I cannot allow me to buy the simplest things for my children,” he added.

“All I want is for this conflict between Hamas and Israel to end and for us to be allowed to return to our homes in the north. We haven’t seen our loved ones for over 15 months.”

Under the terms of the ceasefire agreement, Palestinians were to be allowed to travel north of the Netzarim Corridor, a seven-kilometer strip of land controlled by Israel that cuts off northern Gaza from the rest of the territory.

Lubna Nassar, carrying her two daughters and son on a donkey cart, hoped to return home to her husband, Sultan, whom she has not seen for 11 months.

Speaking on Saturday afternoon, she said: “I will stay here, as close as possible to the Israeli checkpoint. For months, my daughters have been waiting for the moment to meet their father. I want to be among the first to return to Gaza. “.

Qatari and Egyptian mediators who facilitated talks between Israel and Hamas have made progress in their efforts to allow hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to return to the north.

Israel asked mediators for proof from Hamas that Ms. Yehud is alive and it appears to have been handed over to the Egyptians on Saturday evening, according to the BBC.

Meanwhile, many Gaza residents anxiously awaited any progress that would allow them to return home.

For many, the hope of returning outweighs the reality of what awaits them: ruin and destruction.

However, the dream of taking control of their lives, rebuilding their homes and reuniting with their families allows them to keep their spirits up.