Israel’s forces have started withdrawing from the strategic Netzarim corridor in Gaza as a component of the ongoing ceasefire treaty with Hamas, an Israeli official said on Sunday. This move is a significant step in enforcing the conditions of the 42-day truce agreement.
An official said that the retreat fulfils one of Israel’s obligations under the truce. While the precise number of troops being withdrawn remains uncertain, the decision marks a change in Israel’s military stationing in the region.
The Netzarim corridor is a strip of land that divides northern and southern Gaza, limiting movement between the two regions. At the beginning of the truce, Israel enabled Palestinians to cross the corridor under controlled terms.
Now, with the troop departure, Palestinians are permitted to move freely to the north without Israeli supervision, which is a crucial term under the ceasefire agreement.
The ceasefire’s first phase includes the steady discharge of 33 Israeli hostages by Hamas in exchange for several conditions: a halt in conflict, the discharge of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, and a rise in the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
However, with the truce reaching its halfway mark, concerns remain over the dialogues for an extension.
The second phase of the truce is awaited to include the discharge of all left hostages in exchange for a full Israeli departure from Gaza and the installation of a “sustainable calm.” However, diplomatic growth has been sluggish.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has decided to dispatch a delegation to Qatar, a key mediator in the truce discussions. As per some reports, the delegation contains low-ranking officials, igniting speculation that a major advancement may not be achieved.
Netanyahu is also foreseen to direct a high-level meeting with Cabinet ministers this week to deliberate the second phase of the truce agreement. However, no specific date has been set, leaving the future of the ceasefire cloudy.
