Thousands of Palestinians Return to Gaza City Amid Ceasefire, Many Left Without Homes

After 735 days of devastating conflict, the Israeli military has withdrawn from most areas of the Gaza Strip, paving the way for thousands of families—who had spent the past two years in displacement—to make their way back to their war-torn neighborhoods.

According to Dr. Mohammed al-Mughayyir, head of the Civil Protection Authority in Gaza and a civil engineering professor at the Islamic University, many of the returnees have no homes to go back to and are now searching through the rubble for any form of shelter.

“There are no houses left, but we return because this land is ours—even if we must live on the ruins,” said one resident who had returned from the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza.

With over 95 percent of Gaza’s infrastructure destroyed and hundreds of thousands facing severe humanitarian conditions, attention has now turned to reconstruction and the creation of temporary housing for the displaced population.

Dr. al-Mughayyir noted that the rebuilding process could take between five to ten years, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive plan to provide immediate shelter and essential services.

He stated that five border crossings have reopened, allowing around 600 trucks of humanitarian aid to enter Gaza daily, including urgent supplies such as tents, water, and fuel.

The reconstruction effort will proceed in three stages, under the supervision of an international–Arab council responsible for coordinating financial assistance and overseeing project implementation.

Al-Mughayyir stressed that this “historic opportunity” for reconstruction must not be wasted by repeating the mistakes of previous rebuilding efforts. He called for the establishment of modern, sustainable temporary housing communities that could serve residents for decades to come.