Since the ceasefire entered into force on Thursday between the Hamas movement and Israeli forces, around 250,000 people have been able to return to Gaza City, Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for the Palestinian Civil Defense, announced on Saturday.
According to the same official, another 200,000 Palestinians have returned to the northern areas of the enclave, previously declared “extremely dangerous” for civilians. The ceasefire also provides for the withdrawal of Israeli forces, the entry of humanitarian aid and the exchange of prisoners, according to a Hamas press release.
A still dramatic human toll
Despite this massive return, rescue teams report that 9,500 people remain missing, after nearly 735 days of conflict. Since October 7, 2023, the fighting has left more than 67,000 dead, the majority of them women and children, and around 170,000 injured, while famine has cost the lives of an additional 460 civilians, including 154 children.
Hamas praised “the heroic resistance of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, in El-Quds, in the West Bank and among the diaspora”, while humanitarian organizations are calling for urgent and coordinated assistance for the populations still affected.
