The sight of thousands of Palestinians returning to Gaza City signals a defiant reclaiming of their land after years of devastation. Ezzat al-Rishq, a senior Hamas official, described the return as a direct rebuttal to attempts at forced displacement through bombing, starvation, and terror. Despite destroyed homes and the absence of basic services, families streamed back along the Rashid coastal road, on foot and by vehicle, asserting their right to live in their city.

Al-Rishq emphasised that these scenes are proof of the failure of occupation plans to evacuate Gaza for settlers and extremists. For him, the return represents both a symbolic and tangible victory, a first step in what he envisions as the broader return of displaced Palestinians to their homes and villages. He reiterated that Gaza belongs to its people alone, and no external force can claim a foothold in the territory.

The partial withdrawal of Israeli forces following the ceasefire has allowed residents to begin the slow process of recovery, yet the scale of destruction remains overwhelming. The return of Gaza’s population highlights both the resilience of its people and their determination to restore life in the face of years of genocidal war.