Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have begun returning to the north of the Gaza Strip after the partial withdrawal of Israeli troops and the start of the truce that came into effect on Friday at noon local time, that is, at 11 a.m. Central European Time.
The truce, which was agreed upon in Egypt, has allowed displaced families to head back toward their homes, even though many neighborhoods have been leveled to the ground as a result of intense fighting and bombardment.
After the Israeli army announced a partial withdrawal from certain occupied areas of Gaza, numerous Palestinians who had been forced in recent weeks to leave their homes and move south are now returning to Gaza City and the surrounding northern areas.
The main routes of return are the Rashid and Salah al-Din roads, which connect the central and southern parts of Gaza with the north.
The spokesperson for the Israeli army, Avichay Adraee, stated that Israeli soldiers remain present in certain areas of the Gaza Strip and warned civilians not to approach the military forces until further instructions are announced.
“Movement toward the north is permitted via the Rashid and Salah al-Din roads, but approaching the areas of Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahia, and Shuja’iyya, as well as places where Israeli troops are deployed, is extremely dangerous,” warned Adraee.
He also emphasized that in the southern parts of Gaza, it is dangerous to approach the Rafah border crossing, as well as the area known as the Philadelphi Corridor, and the military zones in Khan Yunis. The Israeli army additionally warned against fishing, entering the sea, and approaching the border areas with Israel.
The army also released footage allegedly showing the withdrawal of troops from certain areas of Gaza and confirmed in a written statement that soldiers had been pulled back to the so-called yellow line, newly defined positions on the ground.
Photo: Muhammad Smirny/Platform X
