Returning to Northern Gaza: Balancing Hope and Heartache
Qatar mediates a deal facilitating the return of displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza and the release of Israeli captives, with U.S. involvement in overseeing the ceasefire.
Watan-Residents of northern Gaza began returning to their homes on Monday morning after Qatar announced late Sunday new understandings between Hamas and Israel. Under these understandings, displaced residents of Gaza would return starting this morning in exchange for the release of Arbel Yehuda and others in the coming days. Meanwhile, Hamas announced that it had provided mediators with the required information regarding the list of prisoners to be released during the first phase of the ceasefire agreement.
In turn, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced late Sunday that Tel Aviv and Hamas had reached an agreement to release six Israeli captives, including Arbel Yehuda, in exchange for allowing displaced Palestinians to return to northern Gaza.
It appears that the new understandings have increased the number of Palestinian prisoners set for release. Hamas’ Al-Aqsa TV quoted a leader from the Qassam Brigades as saying, “The increase in the number of Israeli captives to be handed over this week was an initiative from the resistance, not due to any negotiation crisis.” He added, “The number of live captives was greater than expected and is sufficient for exchanges exceeding the duration of the first phase as a whole.”
This development coincides with Israeli Channel 13 reporting that U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoy to the region, Steve Witkoff, will travel to Israel on Wednesday to oversee the Gaza ceasefire agreement. The channel, citing unnamed Israeli sources, said Witkoff would arrive in Tel Aviv on Wednesday to address issues related to the first phase of the prisoner exchange deal.
The Israeli sources confirmed that Witkoff would discuss with Israeli officials the need to maintain the ceasefire agreement. On Saturday, Israeli Channel 12 reported that Tel Aviv sought U.S. involvement to pressure the concerned parties, sending a message to Witkoff urging mediators to ensure the release of captive Arbel Yehuda in the coming days.
