'This is not Gaza': Palestinians return to war-torn neighborhoods amid ceasefire
Original story by: ABC News
Last updated: Oct 16, 2025
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- Context: Tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians and nearly 2,000 released prisoners have returned to Gaza following a ceasefire agreement. However, many found their homes and neighborhoods devastated by the recent conflict, leading to widespread homelessness and difficult living conditions.
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- Detailed Summary:
- Return and Devastation: Palestinians returning to Gaza after two years of war, including released prisoners, discovered their neighborhoods were unrecognizable due to widespread destruction. Many are now homeless.
- Prisoner Experiences: Released Palestinian prisoners reported being isolated, tortured, and beaten while in Israeli prisons. ABC News has reached out to Israeli authorities for comment on these allegations but received no response.
- Family Reunions and Loss: While some families were reunited with released loved ones, the joy was often mixed with sadness due to the ruined state of their communities. Some individuals also learned of the deaths of family members during the war.
- Scale of Destruction: The United Nations reports that Gaza is effectively a "no-go zone" with extensive damage. A UN assessment found that 83% of structures in Gaza City are damaged, with over 17,700 structures destroyed.
- Reconstruction Costs and Casualties: The UN estimates that reconstructing Gaza will cost approximately $70 billion. The Palestinian Ministry of Health reported nearly 68,000 Palestinians killed during the war, which began with a Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
- Hostage Release: The final 20 living Israeli hostages were released by Hamas as part of the ceasefire deal.
- Personal Testimonies: A photojournalist among the released prisoners described Gaza as a "scene of Judgment Day." Another released man learned his wife and children were alive after being told they were killed, while another man received news of his children's deaths upon his return.
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