ALWAGHT- Displaced Palestinians are returning to northern Gaza after a ceasefire was implemented between Hamas and Israel, bringing a pause to the months-long conflict.
Thousands of displaced Palestinians began walking north on Friday to return to their destroyed homes after a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel took effect at noon. As Israeli forces withdrew from parts of Gaza, crowds flooded back into Gaza City along previously blocked roads, including al-Rashid Road. The ceasefire deal also included a prisoner exchange, with Israel publishing a list of 250 Palestinians set for release, though senior leaders like Marwan Barghouti and Ahmad Saadat were excluded. The 72-hour timeline to release the remaining 48 Israeli hostages in Gaza has now begun.
The truce followed intense Israeli bombardments early Friday, as heavy shelling and airstrikes hit Gaza City and Khan Younis. At least 35 bodies were recovered from the rubble that morning. Despite mediator announcements of a ceasefire, attacks had continued through Thursday. Both Hamas and Israel ultimately ratified the agreement, with Hamas negotiator Khalil al-Hayya stating that mediators had guaranteed the war’s indefinite end. Since October 2023, more than 67,000 Palestinians—mostly civilians—have been killed, and nearly every structure in Gaza has been damaged or destroyed.
Gaza’s authorities have called for an immediate international investigation into alleged Israeli war crimes. In a statement, the Government Media Office urged the UN, the ICC, and other legal bodies to hold Israeli leaders accountable and to form an independent committee to probe genocide and ensure justice for displaced Palestinians. They also demanded an end to the siege, unrestricted entry of aid, and full reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.
Under the ceasefire, around 600 aid trucks are expected to enter Gaza daily, though no shipments have yet been confirmed. Gaza officials have also called for the protection of medical, media, and humanitarian personnel, the return of bodies taken by Israel, and the release of all Palestinian prisoners. They appealed for the urgent evacuation of the wounded, particularly children and cancer patients, for treatment abroad, as Gaza begins its long road toward recovery after months of devastation.
