More than 500,000 displaced Palestinians have returned to northern Gaza over the past 72 hours, according to a statement released on Wednesday by the Hamas-run media office.
\"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 confirmed.
The mass return comes after Israel began allowing displaced people to return to the north of the Gaza Strip on Monday, following a ceasefire agreement with Hamas that has paused 15 months of intense fighting.
In a further 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, free 110 Palestinian prisoners.
Meanwhile, Gaza's health authorities reported that hospitals received 63 bodies in the past 24 hours. Among them were 59 individuals recovered from rubble, two who succumbed to injuries, and two new fatalities. This update brings the total death toll since October 7, 2023, to 47,417, with 111,571 people injured, according to official figures.
The ceasefire and subsequent return of displaced residents signal a significant moment in the region's ongoing conflict, offering a glimmer of hope for stability and reconstruction efforts in northern Gaza.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
