Israeli troops have withdrawn from the Netzarim Corridor - a military zone cutting off the north of the Gaza Strip from the south. Hundreds of Palestinians in cars and on carts laden with mattresses and other goods began returning to northern Gaza following the pull-out - often to scenes of utter destruction.

The withdrawal from the Netzarim corridor removes one of Israel’s bargaining chips as it moves toward negotiating a full end to the war.

Israel completed its withdrawal from the Netzarim Corridor on Sunday, a militarized zone that splits Gaza in half, as part of its commitments under a ceasefire agreement with Hamas. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have filed through the area,

During the war with Hamas, troops patrolled the Netzarim Corridor, which splits Gaza, preventing evacuated Palestinians from returning north.

Talks on the second phase, meant to see more hostages released and a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, were due to start Feb. 3. But Israel and Hamas appear to have made little progress, even as Israeli forces withdrew Sunday from a Gaza corridor in the latest commitment to the truce.

Israeli forces have withdrawn from a key corridor in Gaza in the latest commitment under a tenuous ceasefire, while shock over freed emaciated hostages renewed pressure on Benjamin Netanyahu to extend the truce beyond the first phase ending three weeks from now.