Around 200,000 Palestinians have returned to northern Gaza following the implementation of a ceasefire, according to the civil defence agency in the besieged enclave.
“Approximately 200,000 people returned to northern Gaza today,” said Mahmud Bassal, spokesman for the agency, which serves as a key rescue and relief force in the territory.
Tens of thousands of displaced residents rushed back toward the north soon after the truce took effect on Friday, desperate to see what remained of their homes and communities, yet fearful of the immense challenges that await them.
Nearly the entire population of Gaza—about 2.2 million people—has been displaced during Israel’s devastating war on the territory, which began in October 2023 following a cross-border attack by Hamas on Israeli settlements and military sites.