This morning a crowd began to cross the so-called Netzarim axis, built by the Israeli army to cut the Strip in two after the start of the war in October 2023.
The Wafa news agency highlighted that thousands of people spent the last two nights outdoors on Al-Rashid and Salah Al-Din streets despite the intense cold while waiting for the opening of the crossing.
According to the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, some 650,000 Palestinians are expected to return to their homes in the north, although both UN agencies and numerous NGOs warned that the territory was devastated by the recent ground offensive by the Israeli Armed Forces.
“It’s a sea of people,” said Ismail Abu Matar, father of four, referring to the number of people trying to return. “The last few days have been hell, we were afraid the ceasefire agreement would collapse,” he said.
“We have been waiting for this moment for 15 months, I’d rather die than be displaced,” said another citizen, regarding US President Donald Trump’s proposal to relocate the Gazan population to neighboring countries.
Last week, Palestinian Minister of Public Works and Housing Ahed Faiq Bseiso said that the removal of rubble in Gaza could take three to five years due to the extensive destruction caused by Israeli attacks.
A few days ago, the authorities in the territory warned the population about the dangers posed by the thousands of unexploded bombs and shells launched by the Israeli army.
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