Gaza officials say Israeli troops fire on crowd trying to return home, killing 2 people
Crowd amassed after Israel blocked thousands at checkpoint over truce dispute
Gaza officials said on Sunday that Israeli forces killed two people after firing on a crowd they blocked from returning home in the Palestinian enclave.
Israeli forces fired on the crowd on three occasions overnight and into Sunday, killing two people and wounding nine, including a child, according to Al-Awda Hospital, which received the casualties.
Israel's military said in a statement that it fired warning shots at "several gatherings of dozens of suspects who were advancing toward the troops and posed a threat to them."
The crowd amassed in northern Gaza after Israel blocked thousands from returning home, accusing Hamas militants of violating a fragile ceasefire by changing the order of Israeli hostages it has released.
Hamas freed four female Israeli soldiers on Saturday — and Israel released some 200 Palestinian prisoners, most of whom were serving life sentences after being convicted of deadly attacks — but Israel said hostage Arbel Yehoud should have been released ahead of the soldiers.
Under the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, Israel on Saturday was to begin allowing Palestinians to return to their homes in northern Gaza through the Netzarim corridor bisecting the territory, but Israel put that on hold until Hamas frees Yehoud.
Crowds of people carrying their belongings filled a main road leading to a closed Israeli checkpoint. "We have been in agony for a year and a half," said Nadia Qasem.
Fadi al-Sinwar, also displaced from Gaza City, said that "the fate of more than a million people is linked to one person," referring to Yehoud.
"See how valuable we are? We are worthless," he said.
Qatar, a key mediator between Israel and Hamas, said hours after the reported shootings that an agreement had been reached to release Yehoud and allow Palestinians to return to northern Gaza.
Qatar's statement early Monday said Hamas will hand over Yehoud, along with two other hostages, before Friday. Israeli authorities will allow Palestinians to return to northern Gaza on Monday.
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says in a statement that the hostage release will take place on Thursday and confirms that Palestinians can move north on Monday.
The ceasefire is aimed at ending the 15-month war triggered by the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and freeing hostages still held in Gaza in return for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. About 90 hostages are still in Gaza, and Israeli authorities believe at least a third, and up to half, have died.
