The Israel government on Friday announced that "there will be no more Palestinian workers from Gaza" and that it was "severing all contact" with the Hamas-controlled enclave.
"Israel is severing all contact with Gaza. There will be no more Palestinian workers from Gaza. Those workers from Gaza who were in Israel on the day of the outbreak of the war will be returned to Gaza," the Israeli Prime Minister's Office said in a post on X.
It also added that the Israeli Security Cabinet has decided "to deduct all funds designated for the Gaza Strip -- in addition to the deduction, required by law, of funds paid to terrorists and their families -- from Palestinian Authority funds".
The Palestinian Authority governs parts of the West Bank, but it does not have control over the Gaza Strip.
Before the significant October 7th attack by Hamas, approximately 18,500 Palestinians from Gaza had obtained permits to enter Israel, as reported by the BBC, citing Cogat, the Israeli defense body responsible for Palestinian civilian affairs.
In response to the attack, Israel initiated a retaliatory bombardment of the Gaza Strip. As of the latest update from the Gaza Health Ministry, the conflict has resulted in a tragic toll, with a total of 9,061 Palestinians killed, predominantly women and children, and over 32,000 individuals injured due to the ongoing violence.
In Israel, the casualties amounted to about 1,400, with approximately 5,400 people sustaining injuries. Israeli authorities have reported that 242 individuals are currently held captive in Gaza, including both Israelis and foreign nationals, with an estimated 30 of them being children.
Up to this point, Hamas has released four civilian hostages, and one female Israeli soldier was successfully rescued by Israeli forces.
(With Agency Inputs)
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