Post truce, Palestinians return to destroyed homes in Gaza

Gaza, November 24

Many joyful but wary Palestinians emerged from makeshift shelters at the start of the four-day Gaza ceasefire on Friday to begin the long journey back to their homes.

Several residents rendered homeless

• The UN says around two-thirds of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents are homeless, including most of the population of Gaza City and the rest of the northern half of the enclave, reduced to a wasteland by Israel’s assault
• Khan Younis, the main city in the south, has also not proved safe. Many of its buildings are now in rubble, destroyed by Israeli strikes in its campaign in response to the deadly Hamas attack

In the southern town of Khan Younis, which has been housing thousands of displaced families including from heavily bombarded northern Gaza, streets were packed with people on the move.

Hundreds were heading towards the north, despite Israel dropping leaflets warning them not to go back to an area it described as still being a dangerous war zone.

Men, women and children carried their belongings in plastic bags, shopping bags and rucksacks. One family sat on the back of cart piled high with bags and pulled by a donkey.

Some people looked up to the sky as if to check they were not in danger of attack from Israeli warplanes.

“I am now very happy, I feel at ease,” said Ahmad Wael, trudging along with a large mattress on his head.

“I am going back to my home, our hearts are rested, especially that there is a four-day official ceasefire, better than returning to live in tents. I am very tired from sitting there, without any food or water. There (at home) we can live, we drink tea, make bread using fire, and the oven.”

“Honestly it is a nice feeling for one to be able to go back home after all this time, to see their families and loved ones, but we are still hesitant and afraid,” said Souad Abou Nasirat, a Khan Younis resident.

“A four-day ceasefire is not enough, those (in the north) of Gaza, may God give them patience and power. We’re worried about them.” UN agencies voiced hope that the truce would allow aid to flow to northern Gaza for the first time in weeks. — Agencies