The Associated Press quoted a United Nations official confirming the start of large-scale humanitarian aid deliveries in Gaza this Sunday.

On Friday morning, wide waves of Palestinian displaced people began returning to northern Gaza Strip following the implementation of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, ending a nearly two-year war that killed more than 67,000 Palestinians.

The returning crowds walked on foot towards Gaza City via Al-Rashid and Salah al-Din streets, carrying their children and what remained of their personal belongings, in a scene mixing joy, nostalgia, and sorrow over the destroyed homes. One returnee from Al-Nuseirat camp said, “There is no home, but we are coming back… the land is ours even if on top of the rubble.”

The Interior Ministry in Gaza announced the deployment of security forces and police in areas vacated by the Israeli army to restore order and secure roads for civilians’ return.

This development comes within a comprehensive political agreement sponsored by the United States, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, forming the first phase of US President Donald Trump’s plan to end the war. The current phase includes a comprehensive ceasefire, partial Israeli troop withdrawal, prisoner exchange, and opening crossings for humanitarian aid delivery.