Israel has repatriated thousands of Palestinian workers back to the war-torn Gaza Strip as part of a crackdown on laborers holding permits to work in Israel and the occupied West Bank, reported Al Jazeera. The workers, who were previously employed in various sectors such as agriculture and construction, were forced to return through the Karem Abu Salem crossing on Friday, following the Israeli government's decision to revoke their permits.

The Karem Abu Salem crossing, also known as Kerem Shalom, is located to the east of the Rafah crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, an area heavily bombarded by Israeli forces since the beginning of the October 7 war.

Affected by this abrupt change, workers from Gaza expressed their despair and sense of humiliation. Jamal Ismail, a worker from the Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza, stated, "We used to serve them, work for them - in houses, in restaurants, and in markets - in return for the lowest wages, and despite that, we have now been humiliated."

Prior to the crackdown, Israel had issued over 18,000 permits to Palestinians from Gaza, granting them access to Israel and the Israeli-occupied West Bank for employment purposes. However, in response to the recent attack, Israeli authorities reportedly detained and mistreated the workers upon their return to Gaza.

Miriam Marmur, advocacy director of the Israeli non-profit group Gisha, commented on footage showing men entering Gaza on foot, stating that they were unable to confirm Palestinian media reports claiming that approximately 7,000 individuals had crossed into the territory.

The Israeli government's decision to send back thousands of cross-border Palestinian workers has raised concerns about the livelihoods and economic stability of individuals and families relying on this source of income. It remains to be seen how this move will impact the already dire situation in the war-torn Gaza Strip.