The first tentative steps towards rebuilding life are underway in the Gaza Strip, as Palestinians return to neighborhoods ravaged by recent conflict. While a ceasefire agreement brokered in part by former U.S. President Donald Trump came into effect on Monday, October 6, 2025, the reality facing returnees is one of widespread devastation and profound uncertainty. Thousands have begun trekking back to areas like Gaza City and Khan Younis, only to find homes reduced to rubble and essential infrastructure largely destroyed.
The return began in earnest on October 10, 2025, with many traveling on foot for upwards of 20 kilometers, carrying what little possessions they could salvage. Others, able to afford it, paid exorbitant prices – around 4,000 shekels, equivalent to approximately $1,227 USD as of October 2025 – for donkey carts or small trucks. Despite the arduous journey and the grim prospect of living in tents amidst the ruins, a powerful sense of longing for home is driving many to return.
Approximately 40,000 people had fled the Gaza Strip during the conflict, and these recent movements represent the first wave of returnees. The scenes are marked by a mixture of exhaustion, joy, and despair. Kariza Bahloul, 48, who returned after accompanying her husband to Egypt for heart surgery, described the feeling as “indescribable,” stating, “I am very happy that I came back to my husband, my sons, my family, my loved ones, and also to my homeland. And the homeland feeling is the most important.”
However, the return is far from a simple homecoming. Many are finding their homes completely destroyed. Huda Abu Abed, who left during an earlier ceasefire, noted the stark difference in the landscape, stating, “Most of Gaza lies in ruins after two years of Israeli attacks.” She expressed a willingness to live in a tent, prioritizing being with family over material comfort, saying, “It is better than living in a villa…that tent will contain my family.”
The situation remains incredibly fragile. Just hours after the initial wave of returnees were reunited with their families, more than 20 Gazans were killed in what the Israeli military described as targeted strikes against a leader of the group responsible for the October 7th attacks. The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) later issued a statement expressing regret for any harm to “uninvolved civilians,” but also accused “Hamas terrorists” of “systematically using ambulances in Gaza by transporting terrorists and weapons.”
The ceasefire agreement, enacted on , also facilitated the release of nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli prisons. On , buses carrying these released prisoners arrived outside the Nasser hospital in Khan Younis. Abdullah Wa’el Mohammed Farhan, a 23-year-old former prisoner released as part of the deal, spoke of his relief at being freed after 20 months of imprisonment, but also of his dismay at returning to a homeland in ruins. He described being “completely isolated from the world” during his detention and expressed distrust, recounting instances where authorities had falsely promised his release before transferring him to different prisons.
Farhan’s experience highlights the trauma endured by Palestinian prisoners during the conflict. He recounted being subjected to “torture and beaten” during his imprisonment. Upon his release, he found himself displaced and living in a tent with his family, lacking basic necessities.
The return of Palestinians to Gaza also comes after a period where access for foreign journalists was restricted. Reporting has largely relied on the work of Gazan colleagues documenting the situation on the ground. The extent of the destruction is described as unprecedented, with much of Gaza City resembling a wasteland. The Israeli military had previously described Gaza City as Hamas’s “last stronghold” during the offensive.
As of , the situation remains volatile. While the ceasefire has allowed for the return of some Palestinians and the release of prisoners, the underlying issues of destruction, displacement, and insecurity persist. The long-term implications of the conflict and the challenges of rebuilding Gaza remain significant hurdles to lasting peace and stability.
