Palestinians return to Gaza City as mediators look ahead to next stage

Displaced Palestinians returning to their homes in Gaza City this week found a city in ruins after 15 months of fighting, with many seeking shelter amongst the rubble and searching for relatives lost in the chaotic return march.

Gaza City, in the north of the enclave, is a shell of the bustling, rough-edged urban center it was before the war, with swaths of buildings destroyed by Israeli bombardments and piles of rubble and torn up concrete on every side.

“Look at this scene, there is nothing to say,” said a man who gave his name as Abu Mohammad as he searched for a place to settle. “People will sleep on the ground. There is nothing left.”