Thousands of people are currently embarking on a somber journey, traveling by foot back towards Gaza City. A cease-fire has held through the night, yet initial reports paint a grim picture of widespread devastation across the region.
“The sheer scale of destruction is truly heartbreaking,” remarked Olga Cherevko, a spokesperson for the United Nations’ humanitarian office, who recently visited the area. “We’re witnessing countless individuals moving north into Gaza City, only to discover their homes are nothing but ruins. This naturally stirs a mix of profound and conflicting emotions.”
Mediators involved in the peace efforts are hopeful that this cease-fire, which commenced on Friday afternoon, will pave the way for an end to the two-year-long war.
While the pause in hostilities brings a much-needed sense of relief, the extensive damage to northern Gaza casts a long shadow over any celebrations. Many of the returning residents had fled Gaza City just last month when Israel launched its ground offensive there.
Mahmoud Bassal, a spokesperson for Gaza’s Civil Defense emergency rescue service, confirmed on Saturday that responders have recovered 63 bodies from the streets of Gaza City since the cease-fire began. He believes many more likely remain buried under the rubble.
Dr. Mohammad Abu Salmiya, director of Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, anticipates severe shortages and immense challenges for the healthcare system as residents return. “We’ve just concluded one war, only to enter another,” he stated.
Gaza is mired in a deep humanitarian crisis, characterized by widespread hunger, immense property destruction, and the repeated displacement of most of its two million inhabitants over the past two years. The territory was already impoverished before the conflict, and drastically reduced food and aid supplies have only exacerbated the situation.
The agreement finalized on Thursday between Israel and Hamas includes provisions for a significant increase in humanitarian aid deliveries to the enclave.
A senior United Nations official, speaking anonymously due to the sensitive nature of the discussions, indicated that Israel intends to permit larger quantities of humanitarian aid into Gaza starting Sunday. The United Nations has approximately 170,000 metric tons of food, medicine, and other essential supplies prepared for transport.
Map: Where Israeli Troops are Expected to Withdraw in Gaza
An interactive map illustrates the areas where Israel has agreed to withdraw its troops within Gaza as part of the ongoing hostage deal. (Source: Israel Defense Forces; By Pablo Robles and Samuel Granados)
Under the terms of the agreement, Hamas is expected to release the remaining Israeli hostages held in Gaza. In return, Israel will release Palestinian prisoners, and its troops will pull back to new deployment lines within the territory.
This deal is built upon a 20-point plan first unveiled by President Trump last month. Although the current truce doesn’t fully address all core stipulations of that plan, such as whether Hamas will agree to disarm, Mr. Trump has publicly hailed it as a significant victory.
“I’ve never witnessed such joy in many of these places, not just Israel, but across the region. People are literally dancing in the streets,” Mr. Trump declared at a White House event on Friday. “It’s truly an unprecedented sight.”
He further informed reporters of his belief that there was a “broad consensus” on the plan and that the remaining hostages would be released by Monday. “They are being located now,” he added. “Some are held in very difficult, clandestine locations, known to only a few.”
For many of those traversing the coastal road from southern to northern Gaza, the cease-fire offers a poignant chance to finally return home and understand the fate of their lives there.
Mona Mortaja, a 27-year-old accounting student, is among them, heading back to a city she once believed she might never see again. “Our departure from Gaza felt like a final farewell,” she shared on Friday.
Nearby, Ahmed Jabr, 37, walked with his wife and seven children. They too had fled Gaza City last month, convinced they might never be able to return.
“Now, I am truly back,” he said with relief. “There are no bombings, no airstrikes, no constant fear. My children and I finally feel a sense of safety.”
Rawan Sheikh Ahmad contributed reporting from Haifa, Israel.