After the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas was implemented in Gaza, millions of Palestinians are returning to the places that were their homes.
Until Friday afternoon, Israel had been attacking Gaza. However, after the ceasefire came into effect in the afternoon, the Israeli army began withdrawing from Gaza. Following that, on Saturday, a large crowd of Palestinians started returning on foot towards Gaza City. According to Mahmoud Basal, the spokesperson for Gaza Civil Defence, approximately two hundred thousand Palestinians have returned towards northern Gaza since the ceasefire took effect.
People searching for their homes in the rubble
Ismail Zaida, a resident of the Sheikh Radwan District in Gaza City, is one of those rare individuals whose house remained standing even after the two-year-long war. Zaida says, ‘It’s God’s grace, my house is still standing. But the surrounding area is completely destroyed; all the houses in my neighborhood have been demolished, the entire district has been wiped out.’
Mehdi Sakala is also one of those who fled Gaza with his family to save their lives and have now returned. He says, ‘There are no houses left. But we are happy to be able to return, even if there is only rubble there.’
A large number of Palestinians are also now returning to Khan Yunis, Gaza’s second-largest city. Speaking to the news agency AP, Fatma Radwan said, ‘Nothing is left. There are only some clothes, wood, and pieces of utensils.’
Many, after returning, are searching for their deceased loved ones in the debris. Ahmed Al Barimal, who returned to Khan Yunis, found a piece of wood in the rubble of his house. He is now using that wood to cook his food.
Withdrawal of the Israeli Army
According to the Gaza Civil Defence Agency, the Israeli army and its armored vehicles are withdrawing from Gaza City and Khan Yunis.
Even after the ceasefire, Israel has warned Palestinians not to interfere with the army’s activities. According to Israel, the army is currently ‘adjusting operational positions.’ However, the Interior Ministry run by Hamas stated that security forces are being sent to the areas from which the Israeli army is withdrawing.
Permission for UN Relief Team
Meanwhile, on Saturday, Israel has given permission to United Nations relief operations in Gaza. Neighboring countries like Jordan and Egypt are prepared to send 170,000 metric tons of relief materials for Gaza.
During the two-year-long Gaza war, Israel had imposed strict restrictions on the supply of food and relief materials to Gaza. Consequently, thousands of people also lost their lives due to famine in Gaza. Even after the ceasefire, malnutrition remains a major problem. According to Tom Fletcher, the head of the United Nations humanitarian assistance program, the UN and its partners have so far managed to deliver only about 20 percent of the required aid to Gaza.
