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STORY: The Israeli military has withdrawn from Gaza’s Netzarim corridor, an area that bisects the enclave.That’s according to Hamas on Sunday.The move was expected, in line with the ceasefire deal between Israel and the Palestinian militant group.An Israeli security source also confirmed the military’s withdrawal from central Gaza.Thousands of Palestinians have streamed through the passage in recent weeks… Returning to their homes in the north from southern Gaza, where they had sought shelter from the war.Um Mohammed is among them. "We are steadfast and we’ve been patient under the rockets and strikes. They have deprived us of food and water but they haven’t deprived us of air. We remained alive.”Some who crossed over have described their shock after seeing the destruction of communities, many of which have become a wasteland. Since the early months of the war Israeli forces had occupied the roughly 4-mile-long corridor south of Gaza City…That stretches from the Israeli border to the Mediterranean Sea.The corridor cut off Gaza's northern communities, including its largest metropolitan area, from the south.There was no immediate comment from Israeli military on the withdrawal.Hamas, who celebrated this withdrawal as a victory, deployed its police force to manage the flow of Gazans using the passage. Analysts say Hamas’ increased public presence in Gaza since the ceasefire deal sends the message that the group has not been defeated.Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas for its October 2023 attack in which 1,200 people were killed and over 250 taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies.More than 46,000 people have been killed by Israel's retaliatory assault, Palestinian authorities have said.