By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

Displaced Palestinians in Gaza are finally returning to their homes, marking a powerful step toward resilience after months of devastating war.

Thousands of displaced Palestinians returned to northern Gaza on Monday, marking what the Palestinian Resistance Movement Hamas described as a “victory for our people” and a demonstration of the failure of Israeli occupation and displacement plans.

In a statement, Hamas emphasized that the return of the displaced highlights “the occupation’s failure to achieve its aggressive goals of displacing our people and breaking their will to stand firm.” 

The movement also noted that the joyous scenes of return and the people’s love for their land send a strong message to those who have underestimated the resilience of the Palestinian people.

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Hamas leader Izzat al-Rishq celebrated the event, declaring it a “great day” and stating that the return of displaced residents to the north dismantles the “dreams and illusions” of the Israeli occupation to displace Palestinians permanently.

The Islamic Jihad Movement also commented on the developments, calling the return of hundreds of thousands of displaced people to northern Gaza “legendary.” 

It framed the event as a direct response to attempts to displace Palestinians and highlighted the resilience of the population despite the devastation inflicted by Israeli military operations.

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Return Process Underway

The return of displaced residents began early Monday morning following the implementation of a ceasefire agreement. 

Starting at 7 am local time, thousands of Palestinians returned on foot via Rashid Street. At 9 am, vehicles were permitted to return via Salah al-Din Street. 

Meanwhile, Israeli forces began withdrawing from the Netzarim axis, which separates northern and southern Gaza. 

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This withdrawal marks a critical step in the ceasefire agreement reached on January 19.

The current ceasefire, which follows more than 15 months of genocidal war, is set to last 42 days in its first phase. It paves the way for subsequent phases of negotiations. 

Between October 7, 2023, and January 19, 2025, Israeli airstrikes and ground operations killed or injured over 158,000 Palestinians, with the majority being children and women. More than 14,000 remain missing.

(PC, AJA)