Israeli Troops Withdraw From Gaza's Netzarim Corridor

story

FEB 10

Above: A displaced Palestinian man inspects the damage to his home in Gaza City, Palestine, on Feb. 9, 2025. Image copyright: Majdi Fathi/NurPhoto via Getty Imagesstory last updated FEB 10

The Facts

The Israeli military on Sunday completed its withdrawal from the Netzarim Corridor, an east-west military zone that split Gaza in two, in line with the first phase of the Hamas-Israel cease-fire agreement that has been in effect since Jan. 19.
The gradual withdrawal started last month, with the Israel Defense Forces evacuating the western section and allowing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to return to northern Gaza. On Sunday, Palestinians were able to head north via Salah al-Din Road.
However, authorities in Gaza warned Palestinians returning home that foreign security contractors deployed to the area could still inspect individuals and vehicles to prevent weapons being transported from the south.

The Spin

Pro-Palestine narrative

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may try to convince his people that Israel is on the way to achieve a complete victory over Palestinians, but his actions say otherwise. Israeli forces withdrew because their attempt to occupy Gaza and carry out an ethnic cleansing campaign has failed, as the local people have bravely resisted.

The New Arab

Pro-Israel narrative

Though the establishment of the Netzarim Corridor represented a tactical victory in response to the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre, the truth is that Israel never figured out what to do with it. As the corridor is now a large open space, the withdrawal makes sense — if this changes, Israeli forces are in a strong position to make a tactical return.

Jerusalem Post