As part of the ceasefire deal, Israel withdrew from a strip of land it had used to split Gaza into two parts. The Hamas militia celebrated the Israeli withdrawal from the Netzarim corridor as a victory.
Israel on Sunday completed its withdrawal from the Netzarim corridor of Gaza under the terms of the ceasefire agreement that Israel reached with the militant group Hamas.
The Netzarim corridor runs along 4 miles (6 kilometers) from the Israeli border to the Mediterranean Sea. This strip of land, which bisects northern Gaza from the south, was used by Israel to deploy troops.
Israel’s deployment in the corridor cut off Gaza’s northern communities, such as Gaza City, from the southern part of the territory.
The withdrawal signals that ceasefire terms are still being carried out, even as an extension of the truce is still unclear.
Netanyahu pressured to resume fighting
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces heavy pressure from his far-right political allies to resume the war. He is also facing pressure from Israelis who want the ceasefire to continue so that more hostages can return home.
The Israeli government has not officially commented on its withdrawal from the corridor, but an unnamed Israeli security official told AFP ahead of the withdrawal that the army was “preparing to implement the ceasefire agreement according to the guidelines of the political echelon.”
Palestinians return to devastated north
Meanwhile in Gaza, Hamas celebrated the withdrawal from the Netzarim corridor as a victory. The militant group deployed its police force to the area to manage the flow Palestinians crossing through.
