Meanwhile, about 200 U.S. troops arrived in Israel to monitor the cease-fire.
Palestinians began returning to their homes on Oct. 11 as the cease-fire between Israel and terror group Hamas got underway.
After more than two years of war, they walked down dust-covered streets surrounded by the wreckage left from the Israeli military campaign to eliminate Hamas terrorists from the Gaza Strip.
“Gaza is completely destroyed. I have no idea where we should live or where to go,” said Mahmoud al-Shandoghli as he walked through Gaza City.
The exact scale of destruction in Gaza remains unclear, but the United Nations stated in September that nearly three out of every four buildings had been destroyed and the total volume of debris was equivalent to 25 Eiffel Towers. Most of that debris is expected to be toxic.
The European Union and World Bank estimated in February that the damage in Gaza reached up to $49 billion, of which $16 billion was related to housing.
Despite the destruction, the immediate return of Gazans to their homes appeared to be a much-desired condition of the cease-fire. President Donald Trump repeatedly reaffirmed that not only would the citizens be able to return and stay there, but that the region would also be rebuilt with the help of other nations.
“We’re going to create something where people can live,” Trump said during a cabinet meeting on Oct. 9.
“You can’t live right now in Gaza, you know, the place is, it’s a horrible situation. Nobody’s ever seen anything like it. So, yeah, we’re going to create better conditions for people.”
But first, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) needed to complete a partial withdrawal behind an agreed-upon line, which still leaves a majority of the Gaza Strip under IDF control. That was completed on Oct. 10.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted on X that he visited wounded soldiers returning home as part of the “Returning to Their Borders” operation.
“I told them: ‘You have saved the State of Israel and uplifted our stature. I am in awe of the strength of spirit you demonstrate—for personal recovery and for national recovery. When I see you, I am filled with strength and boundless admiration,” he said.
“The State of Israel is ready and prepared to embrace our loved ones with open arms. The entire people of Israel stand behind them, with one heart and one faith. We are bringing everyone home.”
By T.J. Muscaro
