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Hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians have begun returning to the northern part of the war-wracked Gaza Strip after a deal was reached between Hamas and Israel over exchange of Israeli captives and Palestinian prisoners.

It was announced that Hamas has agreed to release female Israeli captive Arbel Yehud and two others by Friday and provided information on the conditions of those set to be freed in the first phase of the ceasefire deal.

Gazans describe the return as historic, saying this is a victorious day.

The displaced Palestinians had been stranded behind Israeli military barriers despite the ceasefire.

The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas was reached after 15 months of the regime's genocidal war on the Gaza Strip.

The implementation of the first phase of the deal began on January 19 and is expected to witness release of more than 1,890 Palestinians for 33 Zionists, who are among the 240 that Gaza’s resistance groups captured in October 2023.

The captives were ensnared during the historical Operation al-Aqsa Flood that served as an instance of retaliation against the regime’s decades-long campaign of Western-backed occupation and aggression against Palestinians.

The subsequent war claimed the lives of at least 47,306 Palestinians, mostly women and children.

The regime approved of the ceasefire after falling short of realizing any of its wartime objectives, including enabling the return of the captives, “eliminating” the Gazan resistance, and causing forced displacement of Gaza’s entire population to neighboring Egypt.

On Sunday, Hamas lambasted the regime for delaying the implementation of the ceasefire deal after Israeli forces killed and injured the Palestinians trying to return to the north.

Earlier, however, the regime said Palestinians could begin returning to the north on Monday after Gaza’s Islamic Jihad resistance movement confirmed that Israeli captive Arbel Yehud would be released before the next scheduled captive/prisoner swap.

Qatar, which had mediated ceasefire talks between Tel Aviv and Hamas alongside Egypt, had also announced that Hamas had agreed to release Yehud and two others by Friday and provided information on the conditions of those set to be freed in the first phase of implementation of the ceasefire deal.

Hamas calls it a victory

The movement, itself, issued a statement, describing the return of the displaced people as “a victory” for Palestinians and a defeat for the Israelis.

It said the scenes of the return of Palestinians to the areas from which they had been displaced, confirmed their connection to their land and once again proved “the failure of the occupation to achieve the aggressive goals of displacing people and breaking their steadfast will.”

The Islamic Jihad also described the return as a response to all those, who used to harbor the dream of enabling forced exodus of Palestinians.

“In an epic scene, hundreds of thousands of our displaced people are returning to northern Gaza, an area, which had been turned into a heap of rubble as a result of Zionists’ atrocities,” the group said.

It also described the Israeli regime’s conditioning the return of the displaced to Yehud’s release as an international move on the part of Tel Aviv to “destroy our people’s happiness in Gaza.”

“On this occasion, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement asserts that our people’s steadfastness would destroy whatever Zionist dream there is of stealing happiness from our hearts, and break the chains of the prison guards and occupiers.”

Former Israeli minister furious 

The Israeli regime’s former minister of so-called “national security,” Itamar Ben-Gvir, however, decried the return as a victory for Hamas.

“The opening of the Netzarim highway this morning and the entry of tens of thousands of Gazans into the northern Gaza Strip are images of Hamas’ victory and another humiliating part of the reckless deal. This is not what ‘complete victory’ looks like – this is what complete surrender looks like,” he wrote on X, former Twitter.

The Israeli soldiers did not fight and give their lives in the Gaza Strip to make these photos possible, he said, adding, “We must return to war – and destroy!”

Ben-Gvir resigned from his post earlier this month in protest at the ceasefire deal.

He has long been opposed to cessation of the brutal Israeli military onslaught and called for the regime to “occupy” Gaza.

Bengaluru: A suspected case of Mpox, previously known as monkeypox, was reported in Bengaluru late on Wednesday, marking what is likely the first case in Karnataka this year.

A 40-year-old man, who recently traveled to Dubai, has been admitted to Victoria Hospital and is currently receiving treatment, according to well-placed sources. Further investigations are underway to verify additional details of the suspected case.

Mpox raised widespread alarm last year when cases surged in several African countries and began appearing in other nations, including Pakistan and Thailand. In August 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Mpox a 'Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).'

India's first confirmed case of Mpox was reported in September 2024. Last month, Kerala reported two additional cases.

Dubai: Air Kerala, India’s newest airline supported by UAE investors, has selected Kochi International Airport as its primary operational hub. The airline announced this decision early Thursday, revealing plans for its inaugural domestic flight from Kochi in June this year, followed by a UAE launch in 2027. 

The announcement was made at a press conference in Kochi recently in the presence of several members of the Kerala government, including Industries, Law, and Coir Minister P. Rajeve.

P. Rajeve expressed, "Air Kerala’s establishment marks a proud moment for the state, promising to enhance connectivity, generate employment, and boost tourism."

Chairman Afi Ahmed, a Dubai-based entrepreneur, highlighted, "Choosing COK as our base underscores our confidence in Kerala's potential to emerge as a key aviation hub. We are eager to contribute to and connect the state's growth with the world."

Aircraft Acquisition:

CEO Harish Kutty announced that the initial phase will utilize five leased aircraft, each with a 76-seat capacity. An agreement has been finalized with an Irish lessor for these planes. Over the next two years, the airline plans to acquire an additional 20 new aircraft.

Air Kerala aims to expand its services internationally, connecting major cities and reaching smaller towns across South India.

Economic Impact and Growth:

According to Ahmed, as Kerala’s first airline, Air Kerala is poised to significantly impact the state's economy. "The airline’s operations will create 750 direct and indirect job opportunities in its first year," he stated.

The airline also anticipates a boost to Kerala's tourism sector. Ahmed noted, "With affordable fares and accessible routes, Air Kerala aims to attract global tourists eager to explore Kerala."

Harish Kutty emphasized the airline's commitment to operating as a true ultra-low-cost carrier, making air travel affordable for all. "We aim to convert bus and train passengers into air travelers with our competitive fares and superior service," he affirmed.