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27-01-2025
GAZA/ CAIRO: Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinians trying to return to their homes in the north of the Gaza Strip, killing at least one person, as Hamas accused Israel of delaying the implementation of the terms of the ceasefire deal.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was blocking the return of Palestinians to northern Gaza over a delay by Hamas in releasing a female civilian captive. The dispute came as a ceasefire between the two sides entered its second week, with the exchange of four Israeli soldiers and 200 Palestinians earlier on Saturday.
In the occupied West Bank, Israeli soldiers continued a large-scale military operation launched in and near the city of Jenin, killing at least two people, including a two-year old girl.
Israel’s war on Gaza has killed at least 47,283 Palestinians and wounded 111,472 since October 7, 2023. At least 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the Hamas-led attacks that day and more than 200 taken captive.
The Israeli military has released a statement acknowledging that their troops have fired shots in Gaza. But the military is claiming these were warning shots fired after the troops identified “threats” posed to them.
The Israeli military has previously said that during this ceasefire if they feel any sort of threat towards their troops, they have the right to respond.
Still, Israel is alleging that Hamas violated the ceasefire agreement by not releasing civilians in week two of phase one, but rather releasing four female soldiers instead.
As part of the deal in the second week, Palestinians were supposed to be allowed to return to northern Gaza. More than 1 million of them were displaced at the start of the war.
However, Israel says until there’s a certain captive named Arbel Yehud, who is identified as an Israeli civilian, is released, Israeli troops will not withdraw from Netzarim and that’s when Palestinians can return to northern Gaza.
Israeli forces have opened fire on Palestinians seeking to return to northern Gaza on Saturday.
Palestinians there are calling for pressure on Israel to adhere to the terms of the ceasefire deal.
“We are calling for help now,” said Muhammad Al-Ghazali, who was displaced from Gaza City. “People are suffering, waiting, without food, drink, or anything. They are all waiting to return to Gaza City,” he said.
Khaled Abed, who was displaced from the Shati refugee camp, said he would stay put until he was allowed to go north.
“I’m waiting and I’m staying until the morning, until they open the road and I return,” he said. “Why are they treating us like this?”
According to Palestinian officials, there are some 650,000 displaced people waiting to return to the north.
The Zeteo news website is reporting that Israeli authorities are denying permission for 11 American doctors and nurses to leave northern Gaza.
The health workers from the humanitarian organization Rahma were meant to leave Gaza on Wednesday but Israeli authorities said that was not possible due to an unspecified “incident” at a security checkpoint, the outlet reported.
Israeli authorities are also preventing another larger team of health workers from Rahma from entering Gaza, Zeteo added.
Health workers from around the world have protested outside the United Nations offices in Switzerland, calling for the ceasefire in Gaza to be made permanent. (Int’l News Desk)
