Gaza: Palestinians have started returning to northern Gaza following a breakthrough deal between Israel and Hamas for the release of six hostages, preserving a fragile truce in the prolonged Israel-Hamas conflict. The agreement, aimed at easing tensions in the 15-month war, allows for further hostage-prisoner swaps while enabling displaced residents to return to their homes.

Large groups of Palestinians began their journey back north on Monday morning, according to a Hamas-run Interior Ministry official. “The passage of displaced Palestinians has begun,” the official confirmed. Previously, Israel had restricted returns to the north, citing Hamas's alleged failure to release civilian hostages.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced a deal for the release of three hostages on Thursday and another three on Saturday. Hamas also confirmed the agreement.

Meanwhile, tensions flared as former U.S. President Donald Trump suggested displacing Gaza’s population, labeling the territory a “demolition site.” Trump proposed relocating Palestinians to Jordan or Egypt, prompting widespread backlash. Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas rejected the proposal, vowing to resist any forced displacement. Hamas and Islamic Jihad also condemned the idea, invoking memories of the 1948 Nakba displacement.

Neighboring Jordan and Egypt firmly opposed the relocation plan, with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi asserting that "Palestine is for Palestinians." The Arab League echoed these sentiments, denouncing the proposal as “ethnic cleansing.”

Amid the truce, humanitarian conditions in Gaza remain dire. Food, medicine, and fuel have trickled into the ravaged territory, but the United Nations highlights the ongoing suffering of its residents. Since the conflict’s escalation in October 2023, Israeli offensives have killed over 47,000 people in Gaza, while Hamas's attacks have left over 1,200 dead in Israel.

Efforts to secure the release of remaining hostages, including civilians and soldiers, continue under the terms of the truce, while families of hostages urge swifter action to reunite with their loved ones.