Qatar announces the return of displaced people to northern Gaza on Monday morning, and the occupation army confirms this

Qatar announced reaching an understanding with Israel and Hamas to begin the return of displaced persons to northern Gaza today, Monday, while the occupation army confirmed that it will allow the transfer of displaced persons starting at seven o'clock this morning, Monday.

Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari announced that an understanding had been reached between Israel and Hamas, whereby Hamas would hand over the detainee Arbel Yehud and two Israeli detainees before next Friday.

In return, starting Monday morning, Israel will allow the return of displaced people in the Gaza Strip from the south to the northern areas of the Strip, according to Al-Ansari.

In a post on his X platform account, Al-Ansari said that Hamas will also hand over 3 additional Israeli detainees on Saturday according to the agreement, in addition to providing information on the number of detainees who will be released as part of the first phase of the ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement between Hamas and Tel Aviv.

The understanding stipulates - according to the Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman - that the Israeli authorities will allow, starting Monday morning, the return of displaced Palestinian citizens in the Gaza Strip from the south to the northern areas of the Strip. Israel will also hand over a list of the names of 400 Palestinian prisoners who have been arrested since October 7, 2023, every Sunday in the first phase.

As part of the ongoing efforts led by mediators, an understanding was reached between the two parties that Hamas will hand over hostage Arbel Yehuda and two other hostages before next Friday. Hamas will also hand over three additional hostages on Saturday according to the agreement, in addition to providing information on the number of hostages…

— Dr. Majed Mohammed Al Ansari (@majedalansari) January 26, 2025

Meanwhile, the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) said that the movement's delegation had delivered to the mediators on Sunday evening the required information about the list of prisoners who would be released throughout the first phase of the ceasefire agreement and the prisoner exchange deal, in accordance with what was stipulated in the ceasefire agreement.

Palestinian sources revealed that the proposal to increase the number of Israeli prisoners released before Friday came as a decision from the resistance in Gaza, and not because of the negotiations crisis.
The sources also indicated that the number of living Israeli prisoners in the first phase is greater than expected and is sufficient for an exchange lasting more than 6 weeks, according to what was reported by Al Jazeera.

The sources explained that the resistance initiative came to increase the joy of the Palestinian people and not to limit the remaining number for exchange to the last week as stipulated in the agreement. They pointed out that the resistance initiative to increase the released prisoners came in conjunction with the occurrence of the crisis of the return of the displaced and came as a solution to it.

Israeli confirmation

For its part, the Israeli occupation army confirmed that it would allow the return of displaced persons to northern Gaza on foot via Netzarim Road and Rashid Street from 7:00 a.m. It said, "We will allow vehicles to move after inspection to the northern Gaza Strip via Salah al-Din Road from 9:00 a.m."

The occupation said in a statement that "it is prohibited to approach the Rafah crossing, the Philadelphi corridor, and the areas where our forces are stationed. It is also prohibited to approach our forces in all places where they are deployed and stationed in Gaza."

The occupation army warned against swimming, fishing, diving and entering the Gaza sea in the coming days.

For his part, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that Tel Aviv will allow the return of Gaza residents on Monday morning. The statement from Netanyahu's office also indicated that Arbel Yehud, soldier Agam Berger and another detainee will be released.

He also confirmed that Israel received from Hamas a list containing the status of the detainees who will be released during the first phase. In this context, the newspaper Israel Hayom quoted an Israeli official as saying that most of the detainees on the list that Hamas presented to the mediators for the first phase are alive.

Israeli media confirmed that the list is consistent with what is known in Tel Aviv, and that there are 18 detainees alive in addition to 8 bodies.

Immediately after receiving the news that they were allowed to return to northern Gaza, Palestinian media outlets showed scenes of joy among the displaced people gathering on Rashid Street.

According to the ceasefire agreement, the Israeli occupation army had to withdraw from Rashid Street on the seventh day of implementing the agreement, the day before yesterday, Saturday, to allow the Palestinians to return to their areas in the northern Gaza Strip.

But the Israeli forces did not withdraw, and Benjamin Netanyahu's government gave the excuse of not releasing the prisoner, whom the resistance said it intended to release in the next batch next Saturday.

On January 19, the ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement between Hamas and Israel entered into force, with its first phase extending for 6 weeks.

The second exchange operation within the agreement was carried out on Saturday, where the Palestinian resistance released 4 female Israeli soldiers and the occupation released 200 Palestinian prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment and long sentences.

Source: Yemen Youth Net + Al Jazeera