Thousands of displaced Gazans spent the night outside, sleeping on the streets, as they waited for the IDF to open the Netzarim Corridor and allow them to move back to the northern areas of the Strip.
Israel announced on Saturday that the passage would remain closed after Hamas failed to release Arbel Yhoud from captivity on Saturday, as it had committed in the cease-fire deal.
According to a report on CNN, officials asked Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff to intervene and "push Hamas to comply with the terms of the agreement and release Arbel."
Gazans waiting for the passage north to be opened
IDF Arabic Language spokesperson Avichai Adraee posted an urgent warning to Gazans not to approach the Netzarim Corridor. "In light of the violations of the cease-fire by Hamas and to avoid friction and misunderstandings there has been no change to the instructions as they were in place. The Netzarim Corridor will not open for passage until an agreement is reached with the mediators to release an Israeli citizen," he said in his post. "follow the instructions and ensure your safety."
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play: https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store: https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv
"The displaced are sleeping on the ground despite the extreme cold," the Palestinian Shehab news agency wrote. "They are waiting for a-Rashid street to open and return north." One mans told the agency that he wants to hold the sand in northern Gaza and kiss it. "May god protect us from the war," he said.
Earlier on Sunday, Saudi Arabia's alHadath channel said the discussions over the release of Arbel ended without agreement. The position of officials in Israel is that the sooner she is released, the sooner the passage of Gazans north, would be allowed. "Israel does not want to create a situation where it agrees to violations of the deal. This is not a decision taken lightly but and insistence that comes after serious deliberations."