A Cautious Homecoming: Gazans Return to Ruins as Fragile Ceasefire Takes Hold

Gaza Strip – A river of humanity flowed north along the Mediterranean coast on Saturday as tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians began a somber pilgrimage back to their homes, seizing the first opportunity provided by a tentative ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that, for now, has silenced the guns.

The massive exodus, undertaken on foot, in overcrowded cars, and on donkey carts, marked the most visible sign of a fragile calm following a devastating, months-long war that has killed tens of thousands and left much of the Gaza Strip in ruins. The ceasefire, brokered by the United States and now in its first full day, has prompted Israeli forces to begin a partial withdrawal from the territory.

For families like Nabila Basal’s, the journey was bittersweet. “It is an indescribable feeling; praise be to God,” she said, walking with her daughter who sustained a head wound during the conflict. “We are very, very happy that the war has stopped, and the suffering has ended.” Yet, the relief was tempered by the knowledge of the destruction that awaited them.

Scenes of Devastation and Determination

The emotional return was a repeat of scenes from a brief ceasefire in January, but the scale of destruction this time is far greater. Following a recent Israeli offensive in Gaza City, residents are finding entire neighborhoods flattened. In the southern city of Khan Younis, which saw some of the war’s fiercest fighting, returning families navigated mountains of rubble that were once their homes and streets.

“There was nothing left. Just a few clothes, pieces of wood and pots,” said Fatma Radwan, searching through the wreckage of her home. Others reported that efforts were already underway to retrieve the bodies of those buried under collapsed buildings.

Hani Omran, surveying the damage, struggled to comprehend the scene. “We came to a place that is unidentifiable. An unidentifiable town. Destruction is everywhere.”

The war was triggered by the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed approximately 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage. Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza has killed at least 67,211 people and wounded 169,961, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government, does not differentiate between civilians and combatants but asserts that half the dead are women and children. The United Nations and numerous independent experts consider its figures to be the most reliable available.

The Mechanics of the Deal and Lingering Tensions

The ceasefire, announced by the Israeli military on Friday, is the first phase of a broader agreement. A key provision is the scheduled release of the remaining 48 Israeli hostages held in Gaza, with around 20 believed to be alive, by Monday. In exchange, Israel is set to free approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. A published list of prisoners did not include high-profile figures like Marwan Barghouti, a popular Palestinian leader seen by many as a potential unifying figure, indicating Israel’s reluctance to release those it deems most dangerous.

The human cost of the hostage crisis was poignantly expressed by Stephen Brisley, a relative of Yossi Sharabi, an Israeli hostage believed to have been killed in an airstrike. “We hold our hope lightly because we’ve had our hopes dashed before,” Brisley told The Associated Press. “It still feels like a long way between the announcement of the deal and actually getting Yossi’s body back to bury him.”

While the guns are quiet, the political rhetoric remains charged. In a televised statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that the ultimate goal was to ensure Hamas is disarmed and Gaza is demilitarized. “If this is achieved the easy way — so be it. If not — it will be achieved the hard way,” he stated, asserting that Hamas agreed to the deal “only when it felt that the sword was on its neck — and it is still on its neck.”

Meanwhile, Hamas and other Palestinian factions, including Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), have rejected “any foreign guardianship” of Gaza. Gaza officials have also called for an independent, international investigation into alleged war crimes and genocide during the conflict—a charge Israel vehemently denies.

Aid and an Uncertain Political Future

The humanitarian situation remains dire. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has called for all crossings into Gaza to be opened immediately, stating that 6,000 aid trucks are ready to enter within hours. A UN official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the organization has been given the green light by Israel to begin delivering aid starting Sunday, including 170,000 metric tons of supplies prepositioned in neighboring countries.

The long-term political framework for Gaza, spearheaded by the U.S. and referred to as the “Trump plan,” remains a subject of intense dispute. The plan envisions Israel maintaining an open-ended military presence along its border with Gaza, while an international force from Arab and Muslim nations would handle internal security. It also calls for a massive, internationally funded reconstruction effort and suggests a future, reformed role for the Palestinian Authority—a prospect Netanyahu has long opposed. The plan is notably vague on the establishment of a Palestinian state, which the Israeli leader firmly rejects.

As Gazans sift through the rubble of their lives, the prevailing emotion is a fragile hope overshadowed by profound loss and uncertainty. “There wasn’t much joy, but the ceasefire somewhat eased the pain of death and bloodshed,” said Jamal Mesbah, one of the many displaced now returning home. For him and millions of others, the ceasefire is not an end, but a precarious pause in a conflict where the path to a lasting peace remains shrouded in the dust of destruction.

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