Palestinians make long trek back to their demolished homes in Gaza

A single line of cars piled high with pillows and blankets edged along the coastal highway, bumper to bumper. People embraced, some in tears. One man stopped to touch his forehead to the ground in prayer.

Along the beach, a sea of people surged north on foot. Many lugged their remaining belongings in plastic bags, with mattresses strapped to their backs. Some walked with crutches.

Palestinians are returning to the demolished ruins of the Gaza Strip they once called home.

After an agreement halted Israel's 15-month rain of bombs on Gaza in exchange for Hamas to release some of the Israelis it still holds hostage, natives of northern Gaza who fled the war undertook the long trek back.

By late Monday, more than 300,000 people had crossed into northern Gaza City, once the most populated city in the strip, according to local authorities. Over the weekend, tens of thousands waited to begin the journey, sleeping on the roads overnight, as Israel blocked the main thoroughfare, accusing Hamas of violating the terms of the ceasefire.

The ceasefire is the longest pause in fighting since Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas militants launched a surprise attack on Israel's border communities, killing 1,200 Israelis and kidnapping more than 200.

Of the 33 hostages Hamas is expected to release under the terms of the ceasefire deal, eight are dead, Israel said on Monday.

More: 'Wave of relief and joy': Four female Israeli hostages released by Hamas in prisoner swap

For the Palestinians heading home, there is little left to return to in Gaza.

More than 170,000 buildings – 69% of structures in the enclave – were damaged, and 60,000 have been reduced to rubble as of mid-December, according to the United Nations' Satellite Center.

Nine out of 10 residents of Gaza – one of the most densely populated areas in the world before the war – fled their homes. Almost 47,000 people are now dead, including at least 14,500 children. An estimated 17,000 children are returning home without their parents, who they were either separated from or lost to the war.

"I am waiting for my father, mother and brother. We lost them on the way," Jameel Abed, who walked to Gaza City from the center of the enclave, told Reuters. "We found some lights here, and we are waiting for them."

Trump suggests 'just clean out' Gaza

Their return is complicated by President Donald Trump's suggestion on Saturday to "just clean out" Gaza and that Egypt and Jordan should take Palestinian refugees.

"You're talking about a million and a half people, and we just clean out that whole thing," he said. "It's literally a demolition site, almost everything is demolished and people are dying there," he added.

Such an order could further constitute "forced displacement" of Palestinians, which the International Criminal Court denotes as a war crime. The court already issued a warrant for the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant, his former top defense official, accusing the pair of multiple war crimes, including forced starvation and intentional acts on civilians.

On Monday, newly confirmed Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a call with King Abdullah II of Jordan to discuss "implementation of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, the release of hostages, and creating a pathway for security and stability in the region," according to the State Department.

Hamas has said it will hand over six more Israeli hostages later this week, with the next round of ceasefire negotiations set to begin next week. Hundreds of Palestinian prisoners have been released from Israeli jails in exchange, including 70 who arrived in Cairo to be greeted by a Hamas delegation before they go into exile in other countries.

Contributing: Reuters

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'We lost them': Palestinians return to their demolished Gaza homes