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New Delhi / Gaza City, Oct 11:* Tens of thousands of Palestinians began returning to northern Gaza on Friday following Israel’s troop withdrawal and the start of a long-awaited ceasefire that came into effect at noon local time.
Scenes of cautious relief mixed with heartbreak as displaced families journeyed north, many finding their homes reduced to rubble after months of intense bombardment. “They have destroyed everything… Am I supposed to be happy? No, I am not,” said Balqees, a mother of five from Gaza City.
Another resident, Mahdi Saqla, described the devastation bluntly: “There are no homes, they’ve been destroyed but we are happy just to return to where our homes were.”
According to reports, over 67,000 Palestinians have been killed and millions displaced since the conflict erupted in October 2023. While some families found their homes partially standing, most neighborhoods now resemble wastelands.
The ceasefire, confirmed by the Israeli military, has brought a fragile calm, though humanitarian challenges remain immense from access to water and electricity to rebuilding critical infrastructure.
For many returnees, the journey home marks both an act of resilience and a painful reminder of what has been lost. “It is over then what?” asked Balqees quietly. “There is no home I can go back to.