Israel Sends Thousands of Palestinian Workers Back To Gaza

Amid the conflict between Israeli forces and Hamas fighters, Israel has sent thousands of Palestinian workers back to the Gaza Strip. The United Nations has expressed concern over this decision. 

Israel sent Palestinian workers to Gaza from the territory, who had previously been given work permits to take up jobs in Israel. 

When Hamas militia from the Gaza Strip launched an attack on Israel on 7 October, Israel revoked work permits of Palestinian workers. Thousands of Palestinian workers from the Gaza Strip also went missing in Israel. 

On Friday, Palestinian workers returned to Gaza through the Karem Abu Salem crossing. They walked around 2 kilometers from the Israeli side of the border. More than 3,200 people were allegedly sent back to Gaza. 

The Israeli security council said in a statement, “Israel is severing all contact with Gaza. There will be no more Palestinian workers from Gaza.”

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Palestinian workers stranded in Israel

Palestinian workers had been stranded inside Israel since its war with Hamas fighters erupted on 7 October. The workers from Gaza, who were in Israel on the day of the outbreak of the conflict between Israeli forces and Hamas fighters, were returned to the Gaza Strip. 

In 2021, Palestinians in Gaza got access to work permits from the Israeli authorities to earn a living as workers in Israel. 

Before the outbreak of the war, some 18,500 Palestinians from the Gaza Strip were holding Israeli work permits. How many Palestinian workers were working inside Israel on October 7 was not known.

Workers crossing into the Gaza Strip said they were detained and ill-treated by Israeli authorities. Following the onslaught, Israel toughened its stance against people living in the Gaza Strip.

UN express concern as Israel sent Palestinian workers to Gaza

The United Nations (UN) expressed concern after Israel started sending thousands of Palestinian workers back to the Gaza Strip. UN human rights office spokeswoman Elizabeth Throssell said that workers may face grave dangers from ongoing military clashes in the region.

Elizabeth Throssell said, “We were very concerned that at least 4,000 Palestinian workers and hospital patients were detained without sufficient legal basis in military facilities after Israel revoked their permits.”

Earlier, Muhammad Aruri, head of legal affairs for the General Union of Palestinian Workers, revealed that around 5,000 Palestinian workers went missing in Israel.