Israel troops withdraw from corridor that split Gaza in two

Israeli forces have withdrawn from the Netzarim Corridor, a military zone that once bisected the Gaza Strip, separating its northern and southern regions. Following the withdrawal, hundreds of Palestinians, using cars and donkey carts laden with mattresses and other belongings, began returning to northern Gaza, only to find widespread devastation.

This Israeli withdrawal aligns with the ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas on January 19, under which 16 Israeli hostages and 566 Palestinian prisoners have been released to date. It is anticipated that 33 hostages and 1,900 prisoners will be released by the end of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement (in three weeks). Israeli officials have stated that eight of the 33 hostages are already deceased.

Hamas initiated the Gaza war with an attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, taking 251 hostages and resulting in approximately 1,200 fatalities. According to data from the Hamas-controlled Gaza health ministry, Israeli military operations have caused the deaths of at least 48,189 Palestinians. The United Nations has stated that approximately two-thirds of the buildings in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed by Israeli strikes.

On Sunday, large numbers of Palestinians were seen traversing the Netzarim Corridor, mostly heading north to see what had become of their abandoned homes. "What we are seeing is a disaster, terrible destruction. The Israeli occupation forces destroyed all the houses, shops, farms, mosques, universities and courts," Osama Abu Kamel, a resident of al-Maghraqa, north of Netzarim, told AFP. The 57-year-old, who was forced to live in the southern Gazan city of Khan Younis for more than a year, said he now plans to "put up a tent for me and my family next to the rubble of our house," adding "we have no other choice." Another displaced Palestinian, Mahmoud Salhi, told AFP that, for him, "until this morning, reaching the Netzarim Corridor meant death," adding "this is the first time I see our destroyed house," referring to his home in the nearby Zeitoun area. "The entire area has turned into ruins. I cannot live here," he added.

At the start of the war, approximately 700,000 residents of northern Gaza fled to the southern regions following a mass evacuation order issued by the Israeli military, which then launched a ground invasion of the Palestinian territory. Many of the displaced were subsequently forced to relocate multiple times as Israeli forces also entered southern Gaza. They were also prevented from returning to their homes via the Netzarim Corridor, which stretches from the Gaza-Israel border to the Mediterranean Sea. Israeli forces partially withdrew from the western part of the corridor last month, and the first Palestinians – on foot – were allowed to walk along the coastal Rashid Street into northern Gaza. Those traveling by vehicle must use Salah al-Din Street and undergo weapons screening by American and Egyptian security contractors. The Israel Defense Forces has not formally commented on Sunday's withdrawal from the eastern part of the corridor, which would leave it in control of Gaza's borders, but not the road that bisects Gaza. Haaretz reported that the Hamas-controlled interior ministry in Gaza has been urging people to "exercise caution and abide by existing operational guidelines to ensure their safety."

The Israeli withdrawal comes as an Israeli delegation is expected to fly to Qatar, which has been mediating negotiations between the warring sides in Gaza. The Israeli government had previously said that the delegation would initially discuss "technical issues" relating to the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, rather than the more challenging second phase, which aims to achieve a permanent ceasefire, exchange all remaining living hostages in Gaza for more Palestinian prisoners, and a full withdrawal of Israeli forces. This would require further instructions from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who recently became the first foreign leader to meet with Donald Trump since his return to the White House. During the visit, Trump called for the removal of all civilian populations from the area and the development of what he called a "Middle Eastern Riviera," the most drastic policy shift on Gaza by the United States in decades. Netanyahu convened his first cabinet meeting after returning to Israel over the weekend, saying Trump had presented a "completely different vision, better for the State of Israel," "a revolutionary, creative vision – we are discussing it," he was quoted as saying in official meeting records. "He [Trump] is very determined to implement it. It also opens up many possibilities for us."

Trump's proposal, which would constitute a crime under international law, has been met with near-universal rejection, including from Arab nations. The Saudi Foreign Ministry said on Saturday that it would not accept "any encroachment on the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, and any attempts to displace them," accusing Israel of "ethnic cleansing." Egypt has also rejected any ideas of removing the Palestinian population, and said it was convening an emergency summit of the Arab League on February 27 to discuss what it said were "grave" developments in Palestine.