This comes following the fifth round of war between Israel and Hamas since the militant group seized control of Gaza in 2007.

According to the Guardian, a steady stream of men, consisting of all ages and without phones, money, or identity cards, entered the territory of Gaza on Friday morning via the Kerem Shalom crossing for commercial goods. The crossing, controlled by Israel and Egypt, saw approximately 3,200 people being sent back from Israel through the checkpoint.

Prior to this month, around 18,500 married men over the age of 25 had permission from Israeli authorities to enter the country, mainly for employment in agriculture and construction, as part of an effort to alleviate Gaza's poverty and create an economic lifeline. However, an unknown number of these workers were detained under the principle of administrative detention, which allows the arrest of suspects without charge or access to evidence against them, based on the belief that they may break the law in the future.

Many of these workers have alleged mistreatment and torture while in military prison facilities. The International Committee of the Red Cross has stated that it was repeatedly denied access to the detained workers, who were classified as "enemy non-combatants" by Israeli authorities.

Moreover, fears have risen among the workers displaced to the occupied West Bank. These fears revolve around receiving distressing news from their families in Gaza, as well as concerns of being mistaken as terrorists and arrested by Israeli police and soldiers. Several thousand workers from Gaza have sought refuge in the West Bank, hoping to be reunited with their countrymen and find relative safety.

The deportation of these workers has dealt a severe blow to the already struggling economy of Gaza, where unemployment had reached approximately 45% in recent years. The influx of funds from these workers had been making a significant difference in the strip, allowing families to pay off debts and contribute to the rebuilding efforts after the devastating 2021 war.

As the situation unfolds, the exact number of detained workers and their current whereabouts remain uncertain. Many continue to live in fear and uncertainty, traumatized by the violence and torn apart from their families. They are left grappling with the distressing reality of a precarious future, as their hopes for better lives and economic stability have been shattered.

The Israeli government has not yet provided a comment on the deportation and detention of Palestinian workers, leaving many unanswered questions surrounding their treatment and the reasons behind this abrupt change in policy.