Palestinians return to homes as Gaza ceasefire takes effect

Thousands of Palestinians headed back to the heavily destroyed northern Gaza Strip on Friday as a US-brokered ceasefire came into effect in a deal that raised hopes for ending the Israel-Hamas war.

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All the remaining hostages were set to be released within days.

Questions remain over who will govern Gaza as Israeli troops gradually pull back and whether Hamas will disarm, as called for in US President Donald Trump's ceasefire plan. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who unilaterally ended a ceasefire in March, hinted that Israel might renew its offensive if Hamas does not give up its weapons.

The latest truce nevertheless marks a key step towards ending a ruinous two-year war that was triggered by Hamas' 2023 attack on Israel. The fighting has killed thousands of Palestinians and displaced around 90 percent of the Gaza population of some two million, often multiple times. Many of them will find fields of rubble where their homes once stood.