GAZA CITY, Palestine — A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect Friday, prompting thousands of displaced Palestinians to begin the long, emotional return to their homes — many of which lie in rubble and ruin.
As Israeli forces pull back from parts of the Gaza Strip and aid begins to flow in again, scenes of hope and heartbreak mix across the enclave.
From the moment the truce began, cohorts of men and families trudged north along Gaza’s coastal roads, stepping over debris and entering neighborhoods partially cleared by withdrawal.
In Sheikh Radwan, Ismail Zayda, 40, paused before what was once his home. “Thank God my house is still standing,” he said, surveying shattered walls and collapsed ceilings.
In Khan Younis—once Gaza’s southern stronghold—families arrived at scenes of utter devastation. Streets that used to carry laughter and commerce are silent, derelict. Some residents pushed bicycles laden with salvaged wood, hoping to ignite simmering stoves.
The ceasefire agreement includes a phased Israeli withdrawal from urban centers, followed by a 72-hour window for Hamas to release 20 living Israeli hostages. In turn, Israel is expected to free over 1,900 Palestinian prisoners.
Yet, the truce is fragile. Although Israel has commenced pulling back, it continues to maintain control over roughly 50 P.c of Gaza territory. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated that forces would return if Hamas fails to disarm or comply with the agreement.
Hamas, for its part, welcomed the pause but rejected foreign supervision of Gaza’s governance, emphasizing on maintaining Palestinian sovereignty during reconstruction.
For many Gazans, returning ‘home’ means stepping into a ghost city. Abdel Fattah al-Kurdi, one of those walking the return route, said the streets he once knew were unrecognizable—buildings leveled, landmarks gone. “I expect to find a ghost city,” he told The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/oct/10/i-expect-to-find-a-ghost-city-gaza-residents-on-the-long-arduous-journey-back-home
Others described chaotic travel just to reach neighborhood boundaries. Some waited in makeshift camps, hungering for any trace of normalcy.
In Rafah, south Gaza, one returnee found nothing left of the supermarket he once owned—a stark emblem of sudden loss.
Humanitarian organizations say Gaza is in deep crisis. Over 90 P.c of buildings were damaged or destroyed during the two-year conflict, and millions remain displaced.
Under the truce, trucks carrying food, medicine, shelter supplies, and clean water are slated to enter Gaza in increasing numbers daily. Still, access to some districts remains restricted, and the pace of relief will depend heavily on safe corridors and coordination.
Longer term, reconstruction looms as a daunting task: cleared roads, restored utilities, rebuilt schools, homes, hospitals, and political mechanisms to manage governance and security in a future Gaza.
The ceasefire offers what may be the most tangible respite in months of unrelenting war. But for Gazans returning, the question is not just whether they can come home, but whether what they find there will be enough to rebuild lives.
