Thousands of Palestinians have returned to northern Gaza for the second day, walking kilometres to reach home.

Gaza's Hamas authorities said more than 300,000 people, or almost half of those displaced from the north during the war, had crossed into Gaza City and the north edge of the enclave.

Tens of thousands of Palestinians streamed into the most heavily destroyed part of the Gaza Strip on Monday as Israel lifted its closure of the north for the first time since the early weeks of the 15-month war with Hamas in accordance with a fragile ceasefire.

Israeli occupation tanks opened fire on Tuesday morning at a number of people returning to their homes in the Zeitoun neighborhood, south of Gaza City.The occupation forces

Gaza City is one of many areas where the Israeli military ordered residents to evacuate as it carried out its offensive. The Palestinians often headed to southern Gaza, only to be told later to evacuate again as Israel attacked there as well.