Delayed by a dispute over the release of a specific hostage, an agreement has been reached to allow Palestinians to return to northern Gaza.

Israel blocked thousands of Palestinians from returning to their homes in the Gaza Strip.

Israel let tens of thousands of Palestinians go back to northern Gaza for the first time since the early weeks of the 15-month war with Hamas​, under terms of a fragile ceasefire​.

Israel and Hamas reached a deal to resolve a disagreement over the exchange of a female civilian hostage that had threatened to derail the truce. Lebanon, however, saw the deadliest day since Israel’s truce with Hezbollah took effect.