An aerial photograph taken by a drone shows displaced Palestinians gathering with their belongings near a roadblock, as they wait to return to their homes in the northern part of the Gaza Strip. (Picture credit: AP)
Tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians remained stranded near the Netzarim Corridor on Sunday, unable to return to their homes in northern Gaza, claimed Gaza officials.
The blockade, enforced by Israel, has left families waiting for hours on coastal roads and at checkpoints, with the situation further complicated by a dispute over a hostage release under the fragile ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
Blockade at Netzarim Corridor
The Netzarim Corridor, a militarised seven-kilometre strip of land controlled by Israel, bisects Gaza and separates the north from the rest of the territory. It has become the focal point of a humanitarian crisis as displaced Palestinians, desperate to return home, gather in growing numbers.
According to the news agency AFP, aerial footage revealed crowds stretching hundreds of meters in three directions, with people carrying their belongings and hoping for passage.
Mahmud Bassal, spokesperson for Gaza’s civil defence agency, described the scene and said, “Tens of thousands of displaced people are waiting near the Netzarim Corridor to return to the northern Gaza Strip.”
Hamas officials estimate that between 615,000 and 650,000 people wish to return north. However, Israel has blocked the crossings, citing Hamas’s failure to release civilian hostage Arbel Yehud, who was reportedly scheduled for release under the truce agreement.
Hostage dispute halts return
As part of the ceasefire deal, Hamas was to release hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. On Saturday, four young Israeli female soldiers were freed, but Israel stated that Arbel Yehud, a civilian woman abducted during Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack, had not been released as agreed.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office issued a statement, “Israel will not allow the passage of Gazans to the northern part of the Gaza Strip until the release of civilian Arbel Yehud is arranged.”
Hamas claims it has provided guarantees for Yehud’s release, which it says is now scheduled for February 1 as part of the third prisoner exchange. The group accused Israel of violating the truce by preventing displaced Palestinians from returning to their homes.
Families stranded in the corridor face harsh conditions. Many have dismantled makeshift shelters in anticipation of returning to homes that may no longer exist.
One woman, Nadia Qasem, described the agony of waiting and was quoted by AFP saying, “Since 1 am we have been waiting to return.”
As per the news agency, another displaced resident, Fadi al-Sinwar, voiced frustration and said, “The fate of more than a million people is linked to one person. See how valuable we are? We are worthless.”
Among the stranded, Samia Helles, a 26-year-old mother of three, expressed fears about her family’s safety. “So far, I don’t know whether my house is still standing or destroyed. I don’t know if my mother is alive or dead. I haven’t been able to contact her for a month”, said Helles.
Fragile ceasefire under threat
The ongoing ceasefire, now a week old, was intended to de-escalate the 15-month conflict sparked by Hamas’s attack in October 2023. The truce has facilitated limited returns for displaced residents and prisoner exchanges, but tensions remain high.
On Saturday, Israeli fire killed one man and wounded seven others, further testing the fragile peace.
The United States, Egypt, and Qatar, mediators of the ceasefire, are working to resolve the impasse. However, the situation underscores the immense challenges of achieving lasting peace in the region.
Hamas insists that the northern return was a condition of the truce, while Israel demands full compliance with hostage releases.
The war has left northern Gaza in ruins, with entire neighbourhoods reduced to rubble. Over 47,000 Palestinians have died, more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
Israeli bombardments and ground operations displaced approximately 90% of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents. Many returning families find only mounds of rubble where their homes once stood.
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