Thousands of Palestinians embarked on a hopeful yet heartbreaking journey back to northern Gaza on Saturday as a fragile ceasefire held overnight. Initial reports painted a grim picture of widespread devastation across the area.
“The scale of destruction is truly staggering,” remarked Olga Cherevko, a spokeswoman for the United Nations’ humanitarian office, who recently visited the city. She noted the profound emotional conflict experienced by many: “We have a lot of people moving north to Gaza City and arriving to find the ruins where their homes used to be, so there is a lot of conflicted emotion.”
Mediators involved in the two-year-long conflict expressed optimism that this ceasefire, which commenced at noon Friday, could pave the way for a lasting peace.
While a sense of relief permeated Gaza at the cessation of fighting, it was quickly overshadowed by the immense destruction awaiting those returning to the north. Hundreds of thousands had previously fled Gaza City when Israel launched its ground offensive last month.
The grim task of recovering victims has already begun. Mahmoud Bassal, a spokesperson for Gaza’s Civil Defense emergency rescue service, reported the recovery of 63 bodies from Gaza City’s streets since the truce began on Saturday, anticipating many more remain buried beneath the rubble.
Where Israel Has Agreed to Withdraw Troops to in Gaza
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5 miles
Sderot
ISRAEL
Jabalia
Gaza
City
Initial withdrawal
Israel has agreed
to withdraw its forces
behind this line as part
of the hostage deal.
GAZA
STRIP
Deir
al-Balah
Khan
Younis
Rafah
WEST
BANK
GAZA
STRIP
EGYPT
Israel
The Rafah border crossing is set to open, allowing aid deliveries.
WEST
BANK
GAZA
STRIP
Jabalia
Sderot
Gaza
City
Israel
Mediterranean
Sea
Initial withdrawal
Israel has agreed to withdraw
its forces behind this line
as part of the hostage deal.
GAZA STRIP
Khan
Younis
Ofakim
EGYPT
Rafah
ISRAEL
The Rafah border crossing is set to open, allowing aid deliveries.
5 miles
Dr. Mohammad Abu Salmiya, director of Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, warned of severe and immense challenges for the healthcare system as residents return. “We’ve finished one war and entered another,” he stated, highlighting the ongoing crisis.
Gaza remains mired in a severe humanitarian crisis, marked by widespread hunger, extensive property damage, and the repeated displacement of nearly two million people over two years of conflict. The region, already impoverished before the hostilities, has seen food and essential aid drastically cut, exacerbating an already dire situation.
The ceasefire agreement, brokered on Thursday between Israel and Hamas, includes provisions for a significant increase in humanitarian aid flowing into the besieged enclave.
A senior U.N. official, speaking anonymously to discuss the logistics, confirmed that Israel would permit larger shipments of humanitarian assistance into Gaza starting Sunday.
The United Nations has a substantial reserve, with approximately 170,000 metric tons of food, medicine, and other vital supplies prepared for transport.
Key components of the agreement detail Hamas releasing the remaining Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, alongside a withdrawal of Israeli troops to new defensive lines within the territory.
This deal is rooted in a 20-point plan initially put forth by President Trump last month. Despite the current truce not fully addressing core stipulations, such as Hamas’s disarmament, Mr. Trump has hailed it as a significant victory.
At a White House event on Friday, Mr. Trump enthusiastically described the reaction: “I’ve never seen happier people than many of these places, not just Israel, many of these places. They’re all dancing in the streets.” He added, “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
He further informed reporters of a perceived “consensus on most” aspects of the plan, anticipating the release of hostages on Monday. “They’re getting them now,” he commented. “They’re in some pretty rough places. Only a few people know where they are in some cases.”
For countless individuals journeying along the coastal road from southern to northern Gaza, this pause in hostilities represented a crucial opportunity—a chance to return home and ascertain what remained of their former lives.
Mona Mortaja, a 27-year-old accounting student, reflected on her return to a city she once thought lost forever. “Our goodbye to Gaza felt like the last one,” she shared on Friday, conveying a sense of profound relief mixed with trepidation.
Nearby, Ahmed Jabr, 37, walked with his wife and seven children. They, too, had fled Gaza City last month, harboring similar fears of never seeing their home again.
“Now, I’m back,” he declared. “There are no bombardments, no airstrikes, no fear. I finally feel safe, and my children do, too.”