Some troops had been expected to withdraw to allow hundreds of thousands of displaced Gazans to go home. But Israel said the hostage exchange before that step had not gone as agreed. Hamas accused Israel of stalling.

Throughout the war, the Israeli military had barred Palestinians from returning to the north by severing Gaza along the Netzarim corridor, a belt that runs east to west across the strip where troops cleared out the Palestinian population and set up bases.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken had said the U.S. wanted a ceasefire deal in Gaza and all remaining captives released before Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20.

Israel and Hamas have signed a ceasefire agreement to end the war and return the hostages kidnapped by the terror group during the Oct 7 attacks.

Israel and Lebanon agreed to extend their ceasefire until Feb. 18 to give Israeli troops more time to withdraw, the Trump administration said Sunday, while a Gaza dispute with Hamas over a hostage was resolved.

An agreement has been reached between Israel and Hamas that involves the release of additional hostages and the return of Palestinians to the northern part of the Gaza Strip.

Israel said Palestinians could begin returning to the north of the war-battered Gaza Strip on Monday after a deal was reached with Hamas for the release of another six hostages, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office.