Ceasefire Brings Return to Ruins — Gazans Trek Home as Israeli Troops Begin Pullback
A truce after years of conflict has enabled thousands of displaced Palestinians to make their painful return to Gaza’s devastated northern region. With ceasefire terms in effect, families—some barefoot—walked over rubble and wasteland to reach homes they had abandoned years ago, only to find them reduced to fragments of memory.
Simultaneously, Israeli forces started a phased withdrawal from multiple urban sectors under the peace agreement, allowing movement back into formerly restricted zones. The ceasefire also frames a hostage-for-prisoner swap, and includes plans to establish a transitional “board of peace” that would oversee governance and security during the early stages of reconstruction and normalization.
As Gazans trickled back, many described scenes of utter destruction: homes flattened, neighborhoods leveled, infrastructure shattered. Some were surprised to find residual structure in what they once lived in; others stood amid unrecognizable rubble, confronting the stark reality of war’s footprint. Despite this, there was a cautious sense of hope—returning told tales of survival, endurance, and the desire to begin rebuilding lives from the ruins.
In Jerusalem, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a stern warning to Hamas: Israel will remain vigilant until the group disarms. Meanwhile, doubts linger over how swiftly the peace accord will translate into stability—particularly around
