NUSEIRAT: Palestinian Territories, Oct 10, 2025 – A fragile ceasefire took hold in the Gaza Strip on Friday, as Israeli forces began a partial withdrawal and thousands of displaced Palestinians embarked on a somber journey back to their devastated hometowns.
The truce, which began at noon (0900 GMT), marks the most significant halt in hostilities after two years of a war that has left the coastal enclave in ruins and its population grappling with widespread famine and loss.
A Delicate Withdrawal and a Cautious Return
The Israeli military confirmed the cessation of fire was “in preparation for the ceasefire agreement and the return of hostages.” Eyewitnesses and Gaza’s civil defense agency reported columns of Israeli troops and armored vehicles pulling back from forward positions in Gaza City and the southern city of Khan Yunis.
The tangible shift on the ground sparked a massive, cautious movement of people. From the south, long lines of displaced families—carrying their remaining belongings in sacks and suitcases—could be seen walking north along Gaza’s coastal road. The scene was one of exhausted determination, a stark contrast to the thunder of airstrikes and artillery that had defined life for so long.
For many, the return is to the unknown. Entire neighborhoods have been flattened, and essential services like water, electricity, and healthcare are nonexistent.
“We’re going back to our areas, full of wounds and sorrow, but we thank God for this situation,” said Ameer Abu Lyadeh, 32, in Khan Yunis. “God willing, everyone will return to their areas. We’re happy — even if we return to ruins with no life, at least it’s our land.”
The Framework of a Deal and Unresolved Tensions
The ceasefire follows the Israeli government’s approval of a framework for a hostage release deal with Hamas, brokered during talks in Egypt. The agreement is the first phase of a 20-point peace plan unveiled last month by US President Donald Trump, who is scheduled to travel to the Middle East to oversee its initial implementation.
An official ceremony to celebrate the deal is being planned in Egypt, while in Israel, the families of the 47 hostages taken during Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack await with agonizing hope for the return of their loved ones.
Despite the day’s progress, deep-seated tensions threaten the long-term stability of the agreement. A senior Hamas official, Osama Hamdan, publicly rejected a key component of the US plan: the disarmament of the group and the establishment of a transitional authority for Gaza led by American officials.
President Trump, addressing reporters, sought to downplay the immediate conflict. “There will be disarming,” he stated, clarifying that the issue would be addressed in the second phase of the plan, alongside further “pullbacks” by Israeli forces.
A Landscape of Ruin and Resilience
On the ground, the withdrawal was measured. Gaza civil defense official Mohammed Al-Mughayyir confirmed Israeli forces had left the Tel Al-Hawa and Al-Shati camp areas in Gaza City, as well as parts of Khan Yunis—all sites of ferocious recent fighting. The civil defense units, operating under Hamas authority, have been at the forefront of rescue operations, often digging through rubble with minimal equipment.
For the returning civilians, the physical and emotional landscape is one of profound loss. The journey home is a trek through a world of gray—shattered concrete, twisted steel, and dust that chokes the air, all under a deceptively calm blue sky.
The conflict’s heavy toll was etched on the face of Areej Abu Saadaeh, 53, as she navigated the destroyed streets. “I’m happy about the truce and peace, even though I’m a mother of a son and a daughter who were killed and I grieve for them deeply,” she told AFP, her voice a mixture of devastation and resolve. “Yet, the truce also brings joy: returning to our homes.”
As night falls on the first day of the ceasefire, a tense quiet has settled over Gaza. The immediate fear of bombardment has lifted, but it is replaced by the daunting reality of survival in a shattered land and the uncertain political road ahead. The joy of return is inextricably woven with the grief of all that has been lost.
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