Palestinians displaced by war began returning north on Friday as a U.S.-brokered ceasefire halted fighting in Gaza for the first time in six months.
Thousands of displaced Palestinians started returning home on Friday after a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect, ending six months of continuous fighting in Gaza.
The truce, approved by Israel’s cabinet and activated at noon, is the first phase of a U.S.-drafted plan that includes the release of 20 Israeli hostages by Hamas in exchange for 1,950 Palestinian prisoners.
Israeli forces pulled back from parts of Khan Younis, Nuseirat, and central Gaza, though they still control 53% of the territory.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu credited “heavy military pressure, combined with heavy diplomatic pressure” for the agreement, thanking U.S. President Donald Trump for his support.
Footage showed massive crowds heading north along Gaza’s coastal road, with residents eager to assess the ruins of their homes. “Thank God my house is still standing,” said 40-year-old Ismail Zayda. “But the place is destroyed, my neighbours’ houses are destroyed, entire districts have gone.”
The deal is expected to bring in 600 aid trucks daily, restoring prewar levels of humanitarian relief. Medical workers will also use the lull to recover bodies trapped under rubble.
Despite relief at the ceasefire, thorny negotiations remain over Hamas’s disarmament and governance of Gaza.