After The Ceasefire, Thousands Of Palestinians Are Finally Returning To Their Homes In North Gaza
"Even if the house is destroyed, even if it's just rubble, we'll go back, put up a tent, and return to our people,"
Thousands of Palestinians are returning back to their homes in north Gaza after the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas officially took effect.
On Thursday, Oct. 9, US President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that both sides had agreed to the first phase, saying all Israeli hostages will be released “very soon” and Israel will pull its troops back to an agreed line.
On Oct. 10, the Israeli government approved the ceasefire plan and Israeli forces began withdrawing.
According to the plan, the war would immediately end if the two sides agree to the proposal, with all military operations being suspended to allow for the hostage release.
On Oct. 11, Israel’s state channel, Kan, published videos of the Israeli military withdrawing from the Gaza Strip.
Videos then showed thousands of people walking north on foot to return to their homes.
About 400,000 people were recently forced to flee south after Israel launched a full takeover of Gaza City in August, calling it Hamas’ last stronghold.
However, many of the people who reached the north found their homes reduced to rubble.
"Even if the house is destroyed, even if it's just rubble, we'll go back, put up a tent, and return to our people," a Palestinian father told the BBC.
In one video published by Palestinian photojournalist Mostafa Salah, Israeli soldiers were heard opening fire toward a crowd of Palestinians waiting to return north.
Since Israel began its genocide on Oct. 7, 2023, about 1.9 million Palestinians have been displaced, and the UN estimates that Israel’s genocide has destroyed more than 90% of housing in Gaza, according to BBC.
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