Gaza residents return north

GAZA, Jan 27 (Reuters/BBC): Tens of thousands of Palestinians began moving along the main roads leading north in Gaza on Monday as Israel opened roadblocks after the militant group Hamas agreed to hand over female Israeli hostage Arbel Yehud and two other hostages.

About 200,000 return to north Gaza in first two hours of crossing opening, says an official of Palestinian Authority.

Television images showed large crowds on the move and witnesses said the first residents arrived in Gaza City in the early morning after the first crossing point in central Gaza opened at 7am (0500 GMT). Another crossing was due to open at 9am.

As news that the crossings would be opened filtered out, thousands of displaced families burst in cheers at shelters and tent encampments.

"No sleep, I have everything packed and ready to go at the first light of day," said Ghada, a mother of five. "At least we are going back home, now I can say war is over and I hope it will stay calm," she told Reuters via a chat app.

Under the terms of the ceasefire agreement, residents of northern Gaza were due to return at the weekend but Israel said that Hamas had broken the deal by failing to release civilian hostage Yehud and kept the crossings closed.

Late on Sunday, Qatari mediators said Hamas had agreed to release Yehud and two other hostages before Friday and that Israel would in return allow displaced Palestinians to return to northern Gaza starting Monday morning.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on Sunday that Yehud, soldier Agam Berger and another hostage would be released by Hamas.