Thousands of displaced Palestinians streamed back toward their abandoned homes on Friday after a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas went into effect and Israeli troops began pulling back from parts of Gaza.
A massive column of displaced Gazans filed north through the dust toward Gaza City, the enclave's biggest urban area, which had been under attack just days ago in one of Israel's biggest offensives of the war.
"Thank God my house is still standing," said Ismail Zayda, 40, in the Sheikh Radwan area in Gaza City. "But the place is destroyed, my neighbours' houses are destroyed, entire districts have gone."
The Israeli military said the ceasefire agreement had been activated at noon local time. Israel's government ratified the ceasefire with Hamas in the early hours of Friday, clearing the way to partially pull back troops and fully suspend hostilities in Gaza within 24 hours.
Israeli hostages held there are to be freed in the coming days, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday. It is expected hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held in Israel will be exchanged in return.
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