Heartbreaking Return: Palestinians Find Homes Demolished in Gaza
Palestinians in Gaza make a long journey back to their homes, only to find them in ruins. Families struggle to rebuild as they return to devastated neighborhoods.
A long line of cars, packed with pillows and blankets, moved slowly along the coastal highway. People in the cars hugged each other, some crying. One man even stopped to pray, touching his forehead to the ground.
Along the beach, thousands of people walked north, carrying whatever belongings they had left in plastic bags. Some had mattresses tied to their backs, while others walked on crutches.
These people are Palestinians returning to what’s left of the Gaza Strip after months of war. The fighting between Israel and Hamas lasted 15 months. A ceasefire was reached after Israel agreed to stop its bombing campaign in exchange for the release of some Israeli hostages held by Hamas. Many of the Palestinians who had fled the war are now walking back to their homes in northern Gaza.
As of late Monday, more than 300,000 people had made their way into northern Gaza City, once the most crowded area in the region. Over the weekend, tens of thousands waited to begin the journey back, spending the night on the roads. Israel had blocked the main road, accusing Hamas of not following the ceasefire agreement.
This ceasefire is the longest break from fighting since October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants attacked Israeli border towns, killing 1,200 Israelis and taking over 200 hostages.
Under the ceasefire, Hamas agreed to release 33 hostages. However, Israel announced that eight of them were already dead by Monday.
For the Palestinians heading home, there is almost nothing left. More than 170,000 buildings in Gaza have been damaged, and 60,000 have been destroyed, according to the United Nations. Before the war, Gaza was one of the most crowded places in the world. Today, nearly nine out of ten residents have fled, and over 47,000 people have died, including at least 14,500 children. Many children are returning to Gaza without their parents, who were either lost or separated during the war.
Jameel Abed, a Palestinian who walked to Gaza City from the center of Gaza, said he was waiting for his family. “We lost them on the way. We found some lights here, and we are waiting for them,” he told Reuters.
Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump suggested that Gaza should be completely emptied of its people, with Egypt and Jordan taking in Palestinian refugees. This idea has been widely criticized, as it could lead to the forced displacement of Palestinians, a war crime according to the International Criminal Court (ICC). The ICC already issued warrants for the arrest of Israeli leaders, accusing them of war crimes like forced starvation and harming civilians.
On Monday, newly confirmed U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with King Abdullah II of Jordan about the ceasefire, the release of hostages, and the need for peace in the region.
Hamas is expected to release six more Israeli hostages this week, and further ceasefire talks are planned for next week. Hundreds of Palestinian prisoners have been freed from Israeli jails in exchange, and some are now being taken to other countries.
