As a fragile ceasefire held into a second week, Israel was told by Hamas that eight of the hostages to be freed during the deal's first phase are dead
Joyous crowds of Palestinians, some holding babies or pushing wheelchairs, walked along a seaside road all day and into the night, carrying bedrolls, bottles of water and other belongings. A few armed, masked Hamas fighters flashed a victory sign. The crowd was watched over by Israeli tanks on a nearby hill
The United Nations said over 200,000 people were observed moving north in Gaza on Monday morning
Palestinians who have been sheltering in squalid tent camps and former schools are eager to return to their homes, even though they are likely damaged or destroyed. Many had feared that Israel would make their displacement permanent
Many saw their return as an act of steadfastness after Israel's military campaign, which was launched in response to the Hamas militant group's October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel
The return was also seen as a repudiation of US President Donald Trump's suggestion that many Palestinians be resettled in Egypt and Jordan. Both countries rejected the idea
Whether hostages are still alive inside Gaza has been a heartbreaking question for waiting families who have pushed Israel's government to reach a deal to free them, fearing that time was running out
Before Monday's announcement, Israel believed that at least 35 of the about 90 hostages taken in the Oct 7 attack and still in Gaza were dead
Government spokesman David Mencer told journalists that a list received overnight from Hamas on the status of the 33 hostages being freed under the ceasefire's first phase showed eight were dead
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