Israel-Hamas ceasefire/Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians return to northern Gaza

Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians headed toward the northern Gaza Strip today after Israel lifted its blockade on the area for the first time since the start of the 15-month war with Hamas, in accordance with the ceasefire agreement, which is entering its second week, a more difficult phase during which the sides must negotiate the release of 60 more hostages in exchange for a complete end to the war.

Crowds of displaced Palestinians began returning to northern Gaza on Monday after Israel lifted its blockade as part of a ceasefire deal and the release of Israeli hostages being held by Hamas. The displaced, carrying personal belongings, walked along the main road along the seafront. Many were confronted with an apocalyptic view of the devastation in this part of Gaza.

"This is our house, a pile of rubble. They didn't take any money, clothes or other things with them, we left everything here, under these rubble. We left our tents behind and came here in other tents. This was our four-story house, but it's gone ," said one of the Palestinian returnees.

Some viewed their return as an act of resilience against Israel's military campaign, which was triggered by Hamas's attack on Israeli settlements on October 7, 2023, and against statements by US President Donald Trump, who asked over the weekend for Egypt and Jordan to accept more Palestinian refugees from Gaza to enable a new beginning in Gaza.

"I would like Egypt and Jordan to take more people. We're talking about a million and a half people and we can clear it all out. Something has to happen. It's a shambles now. Almost everything is destroyed," President Trump declared from Air Force One.

But Egypt and Jordan, both economically unstable and concerned that an influx of Palestinian refugees would destabilize their governments, have opposed such a proposal. Along with the Palestinians, they have expressed concerns that Israel will no longer allow Palestinians fleeing Gaza to return.

President Trump's comments came as Hamas released four Israeli soldiers who were being held hostage in Gaza in exchange for 200 Palestinian prisoners, including 121 sentenced to life imprisonment.

Over the weekend, President Trump lifted the blockade on shipments of 907-kilogram bombs to Israel, which had been imposed by President Biden's administration.

"Thank you, President Trump, for keeping your promise to give Israel the tools it needs to defend itself, confront our common enemies, and ensure a peaceful future ," said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

In the first week, the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel has encountered obstacles, which were overcome with the commitment of Qatar. But with the start of the second week, the second phase of the agreement begins. Hamas has vowed not to release the remaining 60 hostages unless Israel ends the war, while Prime Minister Netanyahu says he remains focused on his goal of destroying the militant group and ending its 18-year rule in Gaza. /VOA