Israel will not allow displaced Palestinians to return to northern Gaza: Israeli media

The Israeli army plans to prevent displaced Palestinians from returning to their homes in northern Gaza, according to Israeli media on Tuesday.

The Israeli army "forcibly displaced around 65,000 out of 70,000 residents to Gaza City, while a few thousand civilians remain in large shelters such as schools and clinics," Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper said.

"Will the Israeli army allow tens of thousands of Palestinians to return to their homes in Jabalia and its surrounding towns, even though many of them have been destroyed? Or will it prevent them from returning to their homes in Jabalia and nearby towns?" the newspaper asked.

According to the newspaper, the army estimates that around 100 gunmen are still entrenched in the northern towns of Jabalia, Beit Lahia, and Beit Hanoun.

The Israeli newspaper said that Tel Aviv had previously prevented a million Palestinians from Gaza City from returning to southern Gaza last year.

"The Israeli army, under the political leadership, will leave the upper northern third of the Gaza Strip as a torn and abandoned area," it added.

The goal, the daily said, "is to prevent Gaza residents from returning to their homes in Jabalia, Beit Hanoun, and Beit Lahia, which closely overlook Israeli settlements adjacent to the strip, such as Netiv HaAsara, Sderot, Mefalsim, and Erez."

Since Oct. 5, Israel has launched a large-scale ground operation in northern Gaza to allegedly prevent Palestinian resistance group Hamas from regrouping. Palestinians, however, accuse Israel of seeking to occupy the area and forcibly displace its residents.

Since then, no sufficient humanitarian aid, including food, medicine, and fuel, was allowed into the area, leaving the remaining population there on the verge of imminent famine.

The onslaught was the latest episode in a brutal Israeli war on the Gaza Strip that has killed more than 45,000 people, mostly women and children, since Oct. 7, 2023.

Last month, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on Gaza.