Militant groups slam Trump on plan to "clean out" Gaza

Israel kept thousands of Palestinians from returning to their homes in the northern Gaza Strip on Sunday as it accused Hamas of violating a fragile ceasefire by changing the order of hostages it has released.

- Agencies

DEIR AL-BALAH, GAZA STRIP: Local health officials said Israeli forces fired on the crowds, killing two people and wounding nine.

Under the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, Israel on Saturday was to begin allowing Palestinians to return to their homes in northern Gaza on foot through the so-called Netzarim corridor bisecting Gaza. Israel put the move on hold until Hamas frees a hostage who Israel said was supposed to have been released on Saturday. Hamas in turn accused Israel of violating the agreement.

Crowds of people travelling by foot and carrying their belongings filled a main road leading to a closed Israeli checkpoint. "We have been in agony for a year and a half," Nadia Qasem, a woman displaced from the north said as she waited. "Since 1 am we have been waiting to return."

Fadi al-Sinwar, who was also displaced from Gaza City, said, "the fate of more than a million people is linked to one person", referring to the Israeli hostage.

"See how valuable we are? We are worthless," he said.

Israeli forces fired on the crowds on three occasions overnight and into Sunday, killing two people and wounding nine, including a child, according to Al-Awda Hospital, which received the casualties.