Hundreds of Gaza Residents in Israel Surrender to IDF to Return Home Amid Support Cutoffs

Since the outbreak of the war on October 7, 2023, hundreds of Gaza residents who entered Israel with work or medical permits and remained have been surrendering themselves to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to be returned to the Gaza Strip. According to Israeli security officials, over 200 Gaza residents have recently surrendered, including a group of 46 who turned themselves in at a West Bank crossing this week and were subsequently transferred back to Gaza.

These individuals initially entered Israel legally before the war but did not return to Gaza after hostilities began. Israeli security sources estimate that hundreds to thousands of Gaza residents still remain in Israel and the West Bank. The primary reason for this phenomenon is believed to be the cessation of financial and social support from Palestinians in the West Bank, which many Gaza residents had relied on for housing, employment, and economic aid during the war months.

Earlier in the conflict, Israeli authorities attempted to locate and repatriate these Gaza residents, but those efforts were later halted. The recent wave of voluntary surrenders reflects the deteriorating conditions for Gaza residents living outside their territory, prompting many to seek return despite ongoing conflict risks.