Ex-minister slams Israel’s ‘total surrender’ as Palestinians flood into north Gaza

After deal reached to secure release of hostage Arbel Yehoud, IDF opens up Netzarim Corridor to Gazans, leading to mass migration northward – including openly armed terrorists flouting ceasefire.

By David Rosenberg, World Israel News

Thousands of Gazans surged north through the Netzarim Corridor Monday morning after Israeli forces lifted the travel ban on the strategic area bisecting the Gaza Strip.

After reaching an agreement overnight with the Hamas terror organization, securing the release of hostage Arbel Yehoud and two other civilian captives for this Thursday, Israel pulled back IDF forces from parts of the Netzarim Corridor – which separates northern Gaza from the rest of the Gaza Strip – allowing Gazans traveling by foot to move northward to population centers, including Gaza City, Jabalya, and Beit Hanoun.

Beginning at 7 a.m., masses of Gazans began moving through the corridor, Arabic media outlets reported.

The Hamas-run Gaza interior ministry confirmed to AFP that the corridor had been opened to pedestrian traffic.

Under the terms of the ceasefire deal completed earlier this month, civilians are permitted to move from southern Gaza into the northern Strip by foot.

While the ceasefire deal bans the carrying of any weapons through the Netzarim Corridor, no enforcement mechanism was put in place. Images from the corridor Monday morning revealed numerous terrorists openly brandishing firearms as they moved northward.

Former national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, whose Otzma Yehudit faction bolted the government last week in protest of the ceasefire deal, castigated the return of Gazans to the northern Strip.

“The opening of the Nitzanim crossing this morning and the entry of tens of thousands of Gazans into the northern part of the Strip are Hamas’s victory images and another humiliating part of this reckless deal,” Ben-Gvir tweeted.

“This does not look like a ‘decisive victory’ – this looks like total surrender. The heroic IDF soldiers did not fight and sacrifice their lives in the Strip to enable these images. We must return to the war – and destroy!”

Defense Minister Israel Katz (Likud) tweeted shortly after the opening of the Netzarim Corridor that the IDF will “vigorously enforce” the ceasefire in northern Gaza.

“We will continue to vigorously enforce the ceasefires in the north and the south. Anyone who violates the rules or threatens IDF forces will bear the full price. We will not allow a return to the reality of October 7.”