A fragile peace has dawned over Gaza as a ceasefire takes hold, enabling the first massive return of displaced Palestinians to their devastated homes in the north and offering a glimpse of hope after two years of war. The truce, which began on October 10, 2025, has set in motion a series of humanitarian steps, though the path forward remains fraught with uncertainty for a traumatized population.
Following the cessation of hostilities, approximately 200,000 displaced Palestinians began the arduous journey back to northern Gaza. Mahmud Bassal, spokesman for the Hamas-run Civil Defense Agency, confirmed the large-scale movement, with eyewitnesses reporting heavy traffic along main roads like Al-Rashid and Salah al-Din as people walked or drove toward their homes. For many, the return is bittersweet. "We're going back to our areas, full of wounds and sorrow, but we thank God for this situation," said 32-year-old Ameer Abu Iyadeh in Khan Younis. Another returnee, Mohammed Mortaja, 39, voiced a common fear: "I just pray (my home) hasn't been destroyed... We only hope the war will end for good, so we'll never have to flee again".
The joy of survival is profoundly tempered by grief and the reality of immense loss. "Our happiness is mixed with pain," explained Dr. Muhammad Rayan from al-Aqsa hospital, capturing the sentiment of a people thankful for the war's end but overwhelmed by the memory of "groans, the wounds, and the immense loss". This emotional conflict was poignantly summarized by Umm Hassan, 38, who lost his 16-year-old son: "This morning, when we heard the news about the truce, it brought both joy and pain".
The ceasefire has allowed rescue workers to begin the grim task of recovering the dead from the vast areas of debris. On the first day of the truce, the Civil Defense reported that 63 bodies were recovered from the streets of Gaza City alone and taken to local hospitals. This work underscores the scale of the destruction, which has been described as a genocide by leading rights groups and UN investigators. The Gaza Government Media Office has called for an independent international commission to investigate what it terms Israeli "war crimes and genocide" and to ensure accountability.
For those in displacement camps like al-Mawasi, the ceasefire has yet to translate into tangible changes. Omar al-Dadda, a father of five living with a disability in al-Mawasi, reported that the struggle for basic necessities continues unabated. "It's been a few hours now, and nothing has changed," he told Al Jazeera, describing his children's daily ordeal of queuing for food and water. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) stated that the truce brings "a much-needed, long-overdue glimmer of hope for children and families in Gaza," but emphasized that "a genuine ceasefire must be more than words; it must be sustained and respected".
The ceasefire agreement, brokered through negotiations in Egypt and based on a 20-point plan announced by US President Donald Trump, includes the release of hostages and Palestinian prisoners, a partial Israeli withdrawal, and a surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza. The Israeli military confirmed it had redeployed its forces "in accordance with the ceasefire and hostage-release agreement". A key part of the agreement involves Hamas releasing the remaining hostages in exchange for Israel freeing 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences and 1,700 detainees from Gaza.
The Rafah border crossing with Egypt is expected to reopen in both directions the middle of the following week, facilitating the movement of people and the increased flow of essential supplies, including fuel and gas. The dire need for comprehensive reconstruction is a top priority for Palestinian authorities. The director of the Gaza Government Media Office, Ismail al-Thawabta, has demanded "an urgent plan for the comprehensive reconstruction of the Gaza Strip," which has seen over 90% of its civilian infrastructure destroyed.