JERUSALEM

The Israeli army on Tuesday allowed residents of settlements located more than 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) from the Gaza Strip borders "to return to their homes,' according to Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation.

The army had evacuated settlements 7 kilometers from the Gaza border on Oct. 7 due to the Al-Aqsa Flood operation by Hamas and other Palestinian factions in response to Israeli attacks against Palestinians and their sanctities.

The evacuated Israelis have since been living at the government's expense in hotels and guesthouses throughout Israel.

More than 250,000 Israelis have been displaced from their homes since Oct. 7, according to the Israeli Institute for National Security Studies.

Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks in the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group, Hamas, on Oct. 7.

Authorities in Gaza said Monday that the death toll from Israeli attacks on the enclave since Oct. 7 has jumped to more than 13,300, including 5,600 children and 3,550 women.

Thousands of buildings, including hospitals, mosques and churches have been damaged or destroyed in Israel’s air and ground attacks on the besieged enclave.

The Israeli death toll, meanwhile, is around 1,200, according to official figures.

*Writing by Ziad Aslan in Ankara