(MENAFN- The Peninsula)
AFP
Deir el-Balah, Palestinian Territories: Thousands of displaced, war-weary Gazans set off across the devastated Palestinian territory to return to their home areas on Sunday, after a long-awaited truce between Israel and Hamas took effect following an initial delay.
Minutes after the truce began, the UN said, the first trucks carrying humanitarian aid entered Gaza, where many residents are returning to nothing.
The ceasefire began nearly three hours later than scheduled.
Thousands of Gazans carrying tents, clothes and their personal belongings were seen heading back to their homes, after more than 15 months of war that displaced the vast majority of Gaza's population, in many cases more than once.
In the northern area of Jabalia, hundreds streamed down a sandy path, returning to an apocalyptic landscape piled with rubble and destroyed buildings.
"We came here at six in the morning to find massive, unprecedented destruction," said Walid Abu Jiab, who returned to Jabalia.
"There is nothing left in the north worth living for."
In the southern city of Khan Yunis, people who had not yet returned celebrated their pending homecoming.
"I'm very, very happy," said Wafa al-Habeel. "I want to go back and kiss the ground and the soil of Gaza. I am longing for Gaza (City) and longing for our loved ones."
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'Massive' aid effort
Aid workers say northern Gaza is particularly hard-hit, lacking all essentials including food, shelter and water.
Jonathan Whittall, interim chief of the UN's OCHA humanitarian agency for the Palestinian territories, said on X that the first trucks started entering following the truce, after "a massive effort" to prepare for a surge of aid across the territory.
Hundreds of trucks had been waiting at the Gaza border, poised to enter. Some were loaded with prefabricated houses.
The truce had been scheduled to begin at 8:30am (0630 GMT) but a last-minute holdup resulted over the list of hostages to be freed on the first day.
Qatar, a mediator of the truce, later confirmed it had gone into effect.
In Gaza City, well before the ceasefire went into effect, people were already celebrating, waving Palestinian flags in the street.
600 trucks
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said 600 trucks a day would enter Gaza after the ceasefire took effect, including 50 carrying fuel.
The war's only previous truce, for one week in November 2023, also saw the release of detainees in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
The truce took effect on the eve of Donald Trump's inauguration for a second term as president of the United States.
Trump, who claimed credit for the ceasefire deal after months of effort by the outgoing administration of President Joe Biden, told US network NBC on Saturday that he had told Netanyahu the war "has to end".
Under the deal, Israeli forces will withdraw from densely populated areas of Gaza and allow displaced Palestinians to return "to their residences", Qatar's prime minister said in announcing the deal.
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