Gaza, Jan. 30 -- More than 500,000 displaced Palestinians have returned to northern Gaza in the past 72 hours, the Hamas-run media office said on Wednesday.

"More than half a million (500,000) displaced Palestinians have returned in the past 72 hours from the southern and central governorates to Gaza and northern governorates via Al-Rashid and Salah Al-Din roads," the media office said in a statement.

Israel began allowing displaced people to return to the north of the Gaza Strip on Monday, following a ceasefire agreement with Hamas that put a pause on 15 months of fighting.

Hamas's armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, said it would release three Israeli detainees on Thursday. Israeli public radio reported that Israel would free 110 Pa...