Thousands of Palestinians began the long, dusty walk from the south of Gaza toward Gaza City after a ceasefire came into effect in the enclave on Friday. They found their city lying in ruins – yet were relieved to be returning home.
Virtually the whole population of northern Gaza had been displaced since Hamas’ attack on October 7, 2023, led to Israel’s war in the enclave, and the area has been reduced to rubble over the past two years.
Aerial footage shows vast stretches of land with nothing but ruins. There’s no infrastructure, no electricity and no running water.
Yet for many of those making the trek on Friday, there is no question about returning.
“I pray that God relieves our sorrow and distress and that people return to their homes. Even if the houses are destroyed, we will return, God willing,” said Ahmad Abu Watfa.
Abu Watfa spoke to CNN on his way back home to Sheikh Radwan in Gaza City. He said he was feeling an overwhelming joy, even though he knew that it’s likely that nothing awaits him that he could call home.
“There is no feeling more beautiful than this — the feeling of people returning from the south to the north,” he said.
An Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson said that people were allowed to move from the south to the north via the coastal Al-Rashid Street and the Salah al-Din Road in the center of the Gaza Strip.
While Israel forced most residents of northern Gaza to leave the area early in the war, it briefly allowed people to return to some parts during the last ceasefire in January.
But that homecoming was short lived for most, as Israel once again ordered a complete evacuation of Gaza City in early September, ahead of a ground invasion into the city.
The IDF told CNN at that time that 640,000 people have left the city after the evacuation order. That number represented about 90% of Gaza City’s pre-war population, although it was not possible to verify that estimate.
The situation in Gaza City was critical even before that ground offensive, with no fully functioning hospitals and few places to shelter.
On Friday, medical teams from the Al Rantisi hospital in Gaza City returned to the facility to find it completely destroyed. Gaza’s deputy minister of health, Dr Yousef Abu Al Rish, shared a video from the scene with CNN that showed ruins and burned and destroyed medical equipment.
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a United Nations-backed initiative, said that famine took hold of Gaza City in August and has since spread to the rest of the strip.
Heartbreak amid the rubble
As people began to return to the north, grim discoveries awaited them there. Footage from the city shows many multistory buildings completely flattened and others ripped apart by blasts. The whole area appears to be covered in grey dust, with mostly no other color visible.
Mohammed Abu Salmiya, the director of Al-Shifa hospital in the north, told CNN that the bodies of at least 33 Palestinians have been recovered from Gaza City on Friday, after the Israeli military withdrew from some areas of the city.
He said that it was impossible to identify some of the bodies, which is why they were sent to the hospital where forensic teams could examine them.
He said two of his children – a son and a daughter – were killed in the war. His house was destroyed and nearly everything he ever owned is gone.
“Forty years of work to build this home,” he said. “I am 70 years old now. Since I was 10, I worked until I could marry, build this house, and have children. Now I cannot work, and my health does not allow me to. Where should I go? My health is no longer what it was when I was young. I am old and sick, and I cannot work. My wife is also sick and cannot see with her eyes.”
Israel warns of ‘extremely dangerous’ zones
The Israeli military said on Friday that a ceasefire was now in effect in Gaza, with forces pulling back in accordance with the plan that was approved by the Israeli government.
Under the ceasefire agreement, a 72-hour period for the release of the hostages held by Hamas started Friday. Nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees in Israel will also be freed as part of the agreement.
Sair Hikmat Subh from Beit Lahiya, a town just north of Gaza City said he was “tired and fed up” but hoping to return home soon.
Subh spoke to CNN as he was dismantling and packing up his tent near Al-Rashid Street ahead of his trip north.
“We are happy that the roadblock has been removed. Praise be to God for everyone’s safety. Of course I am happy!” he told CNN.
However, he said that experience taught him to be cautious.
“I have dismantled many tents and left many behind. I have been displaced nearly 20 times,” he said.
Subh was likely correct to be cautious. The IDF spokesperson said on Friday that Israeli troops would still be present in various areas of Gaza, including Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahia and Shuja’iyya, and warned people to avoid them.
“Approaching the … zones where the forces are stationed is extremely dangerous,” the spokesperson said.
CNN’s Abeer Salman and Eyad Kourdi contributed reporting.
