Tens of thousands of displaced Gaza residents began returning to their homes in the northern part of the Strip on Monday, after a 48-hour delay due to a dispute over the release of hostages between Israel and Hamas.
Many displaced Gaza residents, who had been living in temporary camps for months due to Israeli evacuation orders and 15 months of fighting, have faced food and medical shortages.
On Monday morning, Palestinians were seen walking north along the Al-Rashid coastal road. Many had gathered over the past two days after Israel accused Hamas of violating ceasefire conditions regarding the release the Jewish hostage in Erbil, delaying the opening of the Nitzarim corridor that divides the Strip.
On Sunday evening, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced that Hamas and Israel had reached an agreement to release more hostages, including Jewish ones, on Thursday and Saturday.
According to Netanyahu's office, Israel agreed to allow Gaza residents to return to the north starting Monday morning.