More than 500,000 displaced Palestinians have returned to northern Gaza in the past 72 hours, according to the Hamas-run media office. The mass return follows a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas that has paused 15 months of fighting.
“More than half a million displaced Palestinians have returned in the past 72 hours from the southern and central governorates to Gaza and northern governorates via Al-Rashid and Salah Al-Din roads,” the media office said in a statement.
Israel began allowing displaced individuals to return to the northern Gaza Strip on Monday as part of the ceasefire terms. The truce has brought a temporary halt to hostilities, offering a glimpse of hope for residents affected by the prolonged conflict.
In a related development, Hamas’s armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, announced plans to release three Israeli detainees on Thursday. Israeli public radio reported that Israel would, in exchange, release 110 Palestinian prisoners.
Meanwhile, Gaza’s health authorities reported that hospitals received 63 bodies in the past 24 hours. Among them, 59 were recovered from rubble, two succumbed to injuries, and there were two new fatalities. According to the authorities, this brings the total death toll since October 7, 2023, to 47,417, with 111,571 individuals injured.
