Israeli Army Withdraws from Netzarim Corridor in Gaza, Allowing Free Movement (Videos)
On February 9, 2025, the Israeli army completed its withdrawal from the Netzarim corridor, enabling free movement in Gaza amid a fragile truce with Hamas. This withdrawal follows significant displacement due to conflict, with many Gazans returning to destroyed homes. However, tensions persist as casualties remain high and ceasefire uncertainties loom.
hassan benyoub 
Gaza, February 9, 2025 – The Israeli army completed its withdrawal from the Netzarim corridor on Sunday, a move that bisected the Gaza Strip and now allows free movement between the north and south of the territory. The withdrawal is part of the fragile truce agreement with Hamas.
https://x.com/tamerqdh/status/1888497929809211424
Scenes of Movement
Immediately following the Israeli withdrawal, long queues of cars, trucks, and carts overloaded with luggage formed in both directions amidst a landscape of ruins.
Withdrawal Confirmed
An AFP journalist on the scene confirmed that Israeli forces had withdrawn from the corridor, which had been established in December 2023. Its reopening in late January had already allowed hundreds of thousands of displaced people to return to the northern part of the territory.
Hamas Confirmation
"Israeli forces dismantled their positions and military posts, with the complete withdrawal of their armored vehicles from the Netzarim corridor on the Salaheddine road," which connects the south to the north of the Gaza Strip, "allowing vehicles to circulate freely in both directions," an official from the Hamas-led Ministry of Interior told AFP.
Gazans Return Home
On the Salaheddine road, men, women, and children crossed the corridor on foot, which connects the east to the west of the Gaza Strip, between the Israeli border and the Mediterranean Sea, to find their homes destroyed by the war.
"We are going to set up a tent near the ruins of our house," said Osama Abu Kamil, a 57-year-old father, returning to the north of Netzarim after being displaced in the south for more than a year.
Ceasefire Agreement
On Saturday, a senior Hamas official told AFP that Israel had to withdraw from this passage after the fifth exchange, according to the terms of the truce agreement in effect since January 19 for an initial phase of six weeks.
Tensions Remain
In a context that remains tense, the Civil Defense claimed that Israeli forces had shot dead three civilians on Sunday in Gaza City. The army said it had fired "warning shots" at Palestinians who had approached its troops.
"There will be zero tolerance for any threat against the army forces," said Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz.
Casualties
The offensive has resulted in at least 48,181 deaths in the Gaza Strip, mostly civilians, according to data from the Hamas Ministry of Health, which the UN considers reliable. Of the 251 people abducted during the attack, 73 are still being held in Gaza, at least 34 of whom have died, according to the Israeli army.
Ceasefire Uncertainties
The second phase of the ceasefire is supposed to lead to the release of all the hostages and the definitive end of the war, before a final stage dedicated to the reconstruction of Gaza.
But the continuation of the process remains uncertain, following the shock announcement by US President Donald Trump of a project to take control of Gaza by the United States and to move its population to Egypt or Jordan.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has welcomed this plan, which has been widely criticized around the world, and said that Israel was ready to "do the job" to implement it, in an interview broadcast on Saturday on Fox News.
