The Israeli military said it had ended ground operations in parts of the Gaza Strip, leaving a trail of devastation as it continued to step up attacks in other areas.
Arab army spokesman Avichay Adraee announced on Friday that Palestinians evacuated from parts of Khan Younis in southern Gaza and Deir el-Balah in the center would be allowed to return.
He claimed to have killed 250 fighters, without providing evidence.
The announcement comes as the war has been going on for nearly 11 months. The Israeli offensive has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians since October 7, wounded more than 90,000 others and displaced the vast majority of the population.
The army said Palestinians can now return to the Hamad, al-Jalaa and al-Qarara neighborhoods in Khan Younis.
The neighborhoods were evacuated when Israel launched an armed operation in Khan Younis and were temporarily removed from what the military calls the humanitarian zone.
Adraee said these areas can again be considered part of the humanitarian zone.
Israel has a long history of bombing so-called “safe” areas and reducing their numbers through evacuation orders during its war on Gaza. United Nations agencies and international humanitarian and human rights groups have said there is no safe place in Gaza, despite Israel’s claims.