American security contractors have been engaged to supervise the return of displaced Palestinians to the northern Gaza Strip, following a recent cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas. According to sources familiar with the situation, the contractors are tasked with securing the Netzarim corridor, a crucial area dividing Gaza, where they will inspect vehicles transporting people returning home.
Israeli military forces had earlier mandated the evacuation of northern Gaza, displacing hundreds of thousands of residents towards the south. A truce, now in its fifth day and mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, allows for a gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops and the return of Gazans to their homes in the north.
Under the terms of the cease-fire, which began on Sunday, traveling on foot will not require inspection, but vehicles transporting displaced individuals will be subject to checks for weapons starting Saturday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted that no armed fighters should return to northern Gaza, reflecting the sensitive balance that mediators must strike between Israel's security concerns and Hamas's demands for withdrawal.
This complex and evolving situation underscores the ongoing humanitarian crisis and the delicate peace efforts in the region, as displaced families seek to return to their homes amidst significant destruction and lingering tensions.
