Israel to withdraw from Netzarim Corridor as part of ceasefire deal with Hamas
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will withdraw from their remaining positions in the Netzarim Corridor of central Gaza on the morning of February 9, as part of the ceasefire and hostage deal with Hamas.
Last week, Israeli forces had already pulled back from the northern part of the corridor, allowing displaced Gazans to return to the northern Gaza Strip, both on foot along the coastal road and by vehicles on the Salah a-Din road, Caliber.Az reports via Israeli media.
The IDF kept some positions on the eastern side of the Salah a-Din road, closer to the Israeli border. According to the terms of the agreement, by day 21 of the ceasefire, Israel will fully withdraw from the entire corridor that divides the Gaza Strip, maintaining only a presence in a buffer zone roughly one kilometer inside Gaza.
Additionally, Israeli forces remain stationed along the Philadelphi Corridor, which borders Egypt and Gaza. As part of the deal, Israel is required to complete its withdrawal from the Philadelphi Corridor by day 50 of the ceasefire.
Earlier, Executive Director of the Arab Centre for Research and Policy Studies Mohammad Almasri said that Hamas has agreed to allow the presence of private US companies to conduct inspection operations at the Netzarim checkpoint, facilitating the return of displaced people to their houses from the southern and central areas to the north. He said that Palestinians demand to return to their destroyed houses and this process will take place under the supervision of the US security companies.
By Naila Huseynova