(MENAFN) In a mass movement across the war-ravaged Gaza Strip, tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians began returning to areas vacated by Israeli forces on Friday, shortly after a ceasefire took effect, media reported.

Most of the returnees made their way north from southern Gaza on foot, with others navigating the long journey on motorcycles, bicycles, and the few operational vehicles left amid a dire fuel shortage. Animal-drawn carts also dotted the roadways.

Alongside those heading north, thousands of Palestinians also went back to their homes in central Gaza and parts of eastern Khan Younis, following Israel’s announced withdrawal from those regions.

The mass return occurred mainly along two major arteries: the western coastal Al-Rashid Street and Salah al-Din Road to the east.

In scenes of devastation, many civilians pitched tents atop the ruins of their destroyed homes, having found nothing left standing upon arrival.

According to media, Israeli troops pulled back toward the so-called yellow line on Friday, in line with a phased plan outlined by U.S. President Donald Trump. The withdrawal saw Israeli forces exit Gaza City, though key areas like Shejaiya, Al-Tuffah, and Zeitoun neighborhoods remained under military control. In southern Gaza, parts of central and eastern Khan Younis were similarly excluded from the withdrawal.

Despite the movement, access to Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahia in northern Gaza remained restricted, with Palestinians barred from re-entering those areas.

The Gaza Government Media Office reported Saturday that more than 5,000 critical missions—including humanitarian aid deliveries, rescue operations, and health services—were executed within the past 24 hours across the enclave.

President Trump formally unveiled the ceasefire roadmap on Sept. 29. Its initial phase, which began Friday at 12:00 p.m. local time (0900 GMT), includes a mutual truce, the phased release of Israeli captives in exchange for 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, and the gradual drawdown of Israeli troops from Gaza.

Trump confirmed the development earlier this week, stating: “Israel and Hamas agreed to the first phase of a 20-point plan.”

The plan’s second stage involves the creation of a new governing body in Gaza excluding Hamas, the formation of a Palestinian-led security force with support from Arab and Islamic nations, and a complete disarmament of Hamas.

Since the onset of Israeli operations in October 2023, nearly 67,200 Palestinians—predominantly women and children—have been killed in Gaza, leaving large swaths of the enclave in ruins and deemed uninhabitable.

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