Masses Begin Returning to Gaza City as IDF Withdraws, Opens Coastal Road

Large groups of displaced civilians began moving back toward Gaza City along the reopened coastal artery as IDF units pulled back to designated lines. Early movement was cautious, then swelled as people assessed the safety of routes and conditions in damaged neighborhoods. Accounts from the road captured a blend of relief and trepidation, with families hoping to find homes intact and basic services restorable after months of fighting.

Military notices warned civilians to stay clear of active positions even as traffic was permitted, and movement also resumed along parts of the main north–south corridor. The scene revealed both the promise of a tenuous calm and the uncertainty of how governance and reconstruction will proceed during the ceasefire. The return flows are closely linked to the hostage-release timetable and other deal milestones.

For many heading north, immediate needs—shelter, water, and family reunification—take precedence while the truce’s durability is tested on the ground. Communities balancing loss and endurance now face the long work of rebuilding life amid fragile quiet. (TOI/VFI News)

"The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace." – Psalm 29:11