Thousands of Palestinians began returning to a ravaged northern Gaza and what was left of their homes and families, after Hamas agreed to release more hostages than expected this week to keep its cease-fire with Israel in place.

Tens of thousands of Palestinians streamed along the main roads leading north in Gaza on Monday after Hamas agreed to hand over three Israeli hostages later this week and Israeli forces began to withdraw from a main corridor across the enclave.

Israel has begun allowing Palestinians to return to the heavily destroyed north of the Gaza Strip for the first time since the early weeks of the 15-month war with Hamas, in accordance with a fragile

Qatar announced early Monday that an agreement has been reached to release an Israeli civilian hostage and allow Palestinians to return to northern Gaza, easing the first major crisis of the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

The move brokered by Qatar and Egyptian mediators would allow around 650,000 Palestinians in central and southern Gaza Strip to return to homes in the north of the enclave, most o

Displaced Palestinians began streaming across the central Netzarim Corridor, returning to their homes in northern Gaza after Israel and Hamas resolved a hiccup that threatened to derail their cease-fire.