Amid Ceasefire, Grief and Hope as Palestinians Return to the Ruins of Gaza City:

As a fragile ceasefire takes hold in Gaza, a heart-wrenching reality unfolds. Beneath the rubble of bombed-out buildings and shattered streets, the bodies of 135 Palestinians have been pulled from the debris — lives lost in the relentless Israeli war that has ravaged the Gaza Strip for nearly two years. According to the Palestinian news agency Wafa, at least 135 bodies were recovered on Saturday alone. Dozens more were retrieved from what remains of Gaza’s hospitals, including 43 at al-Shifa Hospital and 60 at al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City. Additional bodies were found in Nuseirat, Deir el-Balah, and Khan Younis. Though it is unclear whether some of the attacks occurred after the truce began at noon local time (09:00 GMT), rescue workers were finally able to reach devastated areas previously inaccessible due to ongoing airstrikes. But even amid the death and devastation, a powerful, painful movement has begun — the return of thousands of displaced Palestinians to the ruins of their former homes. A March Back to Devastation As Israeli forces withdrew from parts of Gaza and the coastal al-Rashid Street reopened, families flooded the streets. With them came children, elderly, donkey carts, vans, and cars carrying the little they had left. Many were seen dismantling makeshift tents only to reset them over the ashes of what once were homes. Al Jazeera's Tareq Abu Azzoum, reporting from Nuseirat, described this somber procession: “Children, women, elderly — all heading back to Gaza City, not to return to life as it was, but to the remnants of it.” For these families, the return is not a celebration — it is a statement of resilience and identity. “This return is historic,” said Abu Azzoum, “but it must be matched with urgent humanitarian aid and reconstruction efforts.” A City in Ruins, But Not Without Spirit What remains of Gaza City is almost beyond comprehension. Months of relentless Israeli bombardment have left behind nothing but skeletal buildings, crushed infrastructure, and a lack of basic services. There is no clean water, no electricity, and no functioning health care. “There is now an urgent need for tents and mobile shelters,” reported Al Jazeera’s Moath Kahlout from Deir el-Balah. “People are walking toward the unknown, carrying only what they can.” Yet, hope persists. Naim Irheem, loading his tent into his vehicle, told reporters, “I’m going back to Gaza City, even though nothing is left. My son was killed, my daughters were wounded. But we must return.” His words echo a larger sentiment: the refusal to be erased. The Pain of Return, the Power of Hope Ahmed Abu Shanab, who journeyed north with his family, described their ordeal. “We suffered. There was no space, and we couldn’t sleep. But we had to come back.” Maryam Abu Jabal expressed the shared uncertainty: “We returned to the unknown. We don’t know if our house is still standing. We hope to God it is.” In Sheikh Radwan, one of Gaza’s most devastated neighborhoods, Mohammed Sharaf stood in shock. “Everything has changed. We thought we would return after a few days. Now, we’re back to nothing.” A People Refusing to Disappear Despite the grief, destruction, and displacement, Palestinians are returning. Not because conditions have improved — but because home, even in ruins, is still home. Their return, marked by mourning and memories, is also a quiet act of defiance and survival. As journalist Ibrahim al-Khalil reported, “Faces are filled with grief and joy. Many don’t know if their homes exist — but they return, clinging to hope.” The return to Gaza may be filled with uncertainty, but it stands as a testament to a people who refuse to be forgotten — not by war, not by displacement, and not by silence.

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