Displaced Palestinians return to north Gaza after 15 months of war

Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were allowed by Israel to return to the heavily-destroyed northern Gaza yesterday for the first time since the early weeks of the 15-month war with Hamas.

The move is in accordance with a fragile ceasefire and hostage release agreement.

A sea of displaced Palestinians walked all day and night through the now-open Netzarim Corridor.

Over the weekend, the opening of the region seemed as though it might be delayed after Israel accused Hamas of breaching the ceasefire agreement when it did not release a civilian hostage on Saturday, who was part of the ceasefire deal. But the two sides reached a new agreement, which will see Hamas return six hostages this week.

In Israel, the government said that eight of the remaining 26 hostages who were due to be released by Hamas as part of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement are dead.