'Born again': Mixed emotions as Palestinians return to 'demolished' homes in northern Gaza
World, Middle East: Long lines formed near the Netzarim Corridor as Palestinians prepared to return to their homes. Israel opened the crossing at 07:00 local time (05:00 GMT).
Displaced Palestinians began returning to northern Gaza on Monday (Jan 27), said Palestine's interior ministry. Social media images captured thousands of people moving along sandy roads surrounded by the destruction caused by over a year of Israeli strikes.
“The passage of displaced Palestinians has begun along the Al-Rashid Road via the western part of the Netzarim checkpoint towards Gaza City and the northern part” of the Gaza Strip, an official informed AFP.
This morning, long lines formed near the Netzarim Corridor as thousands of Palestinians prepared to return to their homes in the north. Israel opened the crossing to pedestrians at 07:00 local time (05:00 GMT), while vehicles were allowed to start travelling north from 09:00 (07:00 GMT).
Personnel from the Red Cross, as well as American and Egyptian teams, were present at the site, with Israeli forces overseeing the situation from a short distance. However, the process has been moving at a very slow pace. For the thousands of vehicles waiting in line to return, it may take several days to complete the journey.
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Mixed feelings among Palestinians returning home
One Palestinian mother told Reuters, “We are very happy to be back to our land, to our homeland, and to Gaza [City]. Praise be to God, it is true that we got tired, but in the end we were victorious. Thank you to the fighters… Thank God, it’s like I was born again and we were victorious again.”
While many have begun the journey home, some remain hesitant. Khaled Raba, 55, who is originally from Jabalia in the north, has decided to stay in Khan Younis for now. “We were planning to move but my relatives who are still in Jabalia called me and said they don’t advise me to come back. My brother called and said not to come. The houses are demolished to the ground. People are sleeping on the streets and nobody is helping them,” he told the BBC.
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On Saturday, thousands of Palestinians gathered at the Netzarim Corridor, a narrow strip of land controlled by Israel that divides the territory, hoping to return home under the terms of the recent ceasefire.
However, Israeli forces erected roadblocks and, in some cases, opened fire on those attempting to return, killing at least one person. Israel accused Hamas of violating the agreement by failing to include Arbel Yehoud, an Israeli civilian, in Saturday’s scheduled hostage release.
Hamas countered that preventing returns to the north was itself a breach of the truce, added that it had provided “all the necessary guarantees” for Yehoud’s release.
In the early hours of Monday, Qatar, acting as mediator, announced that a new agreement had been reached. The deal stipulates that Yehoud will be released before Friday, along with two other hostages, and that Palestinians will be permitted to cross the corridor starting Monday morning.
(With inputs from agencies)
