An Israeli official announced that Israeli forces have started pulling back from a significant Gaza corridor as part of a ceasefire agreement with Hamas.
As per the truce terms, Israel agreed to relocate its troops from the Netzarim corridor, a piece of land dividing northern Gaza from the south. The official, who requested anonymity as he was not authorized to reveal troop movements to the media, provided this information.
Following the ceasefire implementation, Israel initiated the movement of Palestinians through Netzarim to return to their residences in the conflict-affected northern region. The withdrawal of forces from this area signifies another commitment being honored under the agreement.
It was not clear how many troops Israel had withdrawn on Sunday.
The 42-day ceasefire is just past its halfway point and the sides are supposed to negotiate an extension that would lead to more Israeli hostages being freed from Hamas captivity. But the agreement is fragile and the extension isn’t guaranteed.
The sides are meant to begin talks on the truce’s second stage but there appears to have been little progress.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was sending a delegation to Qatar, a key mediator in talks between the sides, but the mission included low-level officials, sparking speculation that it won’t lead to a breakthrough in extending the truce. Netanyahu is expected to convene a meeting of key Cabinet ministers this week on the second phase of the deal, but it was not clear when.
During the first phase of the ceasefire, Hamas is gradually releasing 33 Israeli hostages captured during its Oct.7, 2023, attack in exchange for a pause in fighting, freedom for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and a floor of humanitarian aid to war-battered Gaza. The deal stipulates that Israeli troops will pull back from populated areas of Gaza and that on day 22, which is Sunday, Palestinians will be allowed to head north from a central road that crosses through Netzarim, without being inspected by Israeli forces.
In the second phase, all remaining hostages would be released in return for a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a “sustainable calm.”
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