Over 500,000 return to Gaza city as ceasefire takes effect, hostage handover pending

More than 500,000 Palestinians return to ruined Gaza City as truce holds

Gaza’s civil defense agency reported that over 500,000 people have returned to Gaza City since the first phase of a ceasefire began the previous day.

“More than half a million people have returned to Gaza (City) since yesterday,” said Mahmud Bassal, a spokesperson for the civil defense, a rescue service operating under Hamas authority.

Images show returning Palestinians, many waving Palestinian and Egyptian flags. While some were relieved to find their homes intact, others were devastated by the destruction.

Israel agreed to the truce on Friday and pulled back troops from several areas, allowing long lines of residents to travel north along the coastal road.

Taking advantage of the ceasefire, Raja Salmi walked back to her home in Gaza City, which had been targeted during weeks of Israeli bombardment and ground operations. “We walked for hours, and every step was filled with fear and anxiety for my home,” Salmi told AFP. Upon reaching the Al-Rimal neighborhood, she discovered her house destroyed. “It no longer exists. It's just a pile of rubble. I stood before it and cried. All those memories are now just dust.”

Under a ceasefire deal proposed by US President Donald Trump, Hamas is expected to return 47 remaining hostages, both living and deceased, from the 251 abducted during its October 7 attack on Israel two years ago. The remains of one additional hostage, held in Gaza since 2014, are also expected to be handed over.