Displaced Gazans journey home as ceasefire begins

Rudaw
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian movement Hamas came into effect at noon local time on Friday, three days after the second anniversary of the war on Gaza. The truce is part of a deal brokered by US President Donald Trump to halt hostilities and facilitate a prisoner exchange.

“The ceasefire agreement came into effect at 12:00 [local time, 9:00 am GMT],” the Israeli army announced, adding that their forces have “begun repositioning along their new deployment lines in preparation for implementing the truce agreement and the return of the hostages.”

Shortly after the ceasefire began, thousands of Palestinians were seen moving from southern to northern Gaza. Footage from Agence France-Presse (AFP) showed lines of men, women, and children walking along the coastal road, seizing the moment of calm to return home or seek safer ground.


The conflict, the bloodiest in Gaza, began on October 7, 2023 when Hamas launched a surprise incursion into southern Israel, killing more than 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures. Of those, 47 hostages remain in Gaza, including 25 who the Israeli military believes are dead.

In response, Israel launched a widescale military campaign. As of Thursday, the Gaza health ministry said nearly 67,200 Palestinians had been killed and about 170,000 injured in Israeli bombardments. Famine is spreading through the enclave and a United Nations commission said Israeli has committed genocide.

In the hours leading up to the ceasefire, displaced Palestinians who spoke to Rudaw expressed relief that the war was nearing its end. Some called for a change in leadership in the Hamas-led enclave.

“I am very happy with the ceasefire agreement. Although the agreement did not meet all our demands, it is better than the continuation of the war because it stops the bloodshed and halts the continuous destruction,” said Wahid al-Hams, a displaced resident from Rafah in southern Gaza.

“Our remaining in our lands here in the Gaza Strip is also a great achievement for us Palestinians,” he added.

Ahmed al-Astal, displaced from Khan Younis, echoed similar sentiments. “I feel a great sense of relief regarding the agreement, and this is the feeling of everyone here in the Gaza Strip.”

Gazans “prefer to be governed by the Palestinian Authority led by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO/Fatah),” instead of Hamas, he added.

Another displaced resident, Mohammed al-Breim from Bani Suheila in Khan Younis, also emphasized the need for more responsible leadership. “We prefer to be governed by those who deserve to rule and not the reckless ones to prevent a recurrence of what we were exposed to,” he said.

“We demand wise, non-hasty rulers to lead the next stage,” he urged.

The Gaza Strip has been under the rule of Hamas since June 2007, following the movement’s victory in the 2006 Palestinian legislative elections and a subsequent violent conflict with the rival Fatah movement, which resulted in Hamas seizing full military and administrative control of the enclave.

The establishment of Hamas's rule in Gaza created a schism in the Palestinian territories, with the Gaza Strip being governed by Hamas while the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority maintained control in parts of the West Bank.

Mohammed al-Jabour, a displaced Palestinian from Khan Younis, urged a speedy reconstruction so that “our lives will be decent and that we live in security and safety.”

“We have suffered greatly from the Israeli bombardment, destruction, and hunger, so we want to live with dignity, away from the pain and suffering of the tents and displacement. We hope that the next phase will be a phase of security and stability for all,” he said.

The peace plan

Trump announced on Wednesday that Israel and Hamas had "signed off" on the first phase of a peace plan designed to end the war. He said the plan would see all hostages released and Israeli troops withdrawn to agreed-upon lines as steps toward what he called a “Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace.”

“I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “All Parties will be treated fairly!”

Calling it a “GREAT DAY” for “the Arab and Muslim world, Israel, neighboring countries, all surrounding Nations, and the United States of America,” Trump also thanked mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey for their role in achieving this “Historic and Unprecedented Event.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it was a "big day for Israel" and thanked Trump.

The plan released by Trump calls for Gaza to be demilitarized and for Hamas to be excluded from any future political role.