After five civilians were killed and 54 were wounded in an incident that allegedly saw Israeli troops open fire on a refugee convoy traveling north along Gaza’s coastal road, the Israel Defense Forces reiterated on Monday their opposition to any Palestinian civilians returning to northern Gaza, emphasizing that the area remains an active combat zone.
Before Hamas’ October 7 attack and Israel’s subsequent invasion of the Gaza Strip, the enclave’s northern region, home to Gaza City, was the most densely populated area of the Strip and the Palestinian terrorist organization’s main seat of governance.
Most Gazans then fled south to evade the destruction wrought by Israel’s aerial bombing and ground campaign, but many say they now wish to return to the north.
Supposedly hearing rumors that Israel was allowing Palestinian refugees to return north, thousands of internally displaced Palestinians allegedly attempted to travel upwards along Gaza’s coastal road on Sunday, most on foot or with pack animals.
At Wadi Gaza, which serves as the IDF’s dividing line between the north and south of the enclave, witnesses claim that Israeli troops opened fire on approaching crowds during an incident at a checkpoint, with officials from central Gaza’s Awda Hospital reporting the casualty numbers.
Israel has reported that Hamas’ presence in the north has been significantly diminished but still argues that it is unsafe for civilians to return, and on Monday, Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee reiterated on social media platform X this warning, saying the north is still a “dangerous combat zone.”