Israel deports thousands of stranded Palestinian workers back to Gaza

About 3,200 people reportedly sent to war-torn strip through Kerem Shalom crossing in deeply concerning' move

Thousands of Palestinian workers from Gaza who were stranded in Israel when war broke out last month have been deported back to the war-torn strip after being expelled by the Israeli government.

A Guardian reporter in Rafah, on the southern edge of the strip, saw a steady stream of men of all ages with no phones, money, or identity cards enter the territory on Friday morning via the Kerem Shalom crossing for commercial goods, having walked about 2km from the Israeli side of the border. Mada Masr, an independent Egyptian news outlet, said that about 3,200 people had been sent back through the checkpoint, which is controlled by Israel and Egypt.