Displaced Palestinians return to northern Gaza – in pictures

Under the terms of the ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel, Israeli forces pulled back from the two main highways leading north through the Netzarim corridor to allow Palestinians to return. On Salaheddin Street, the main road through central Gaza, cars and trucks heading north were piled with mattresses and other belongings

Families gather to return to their homes in the northern Gaza Strip

Palestinians wait to be allowed to return to their homes in northern Gaza

An aerial view of Palestinians waiting at a point close to the Netzarim corridor on al-Rashid Street to return to their homes in the north

More than 376,000 Palestinians displaced by the war between Israel and Hamas had returned to northern Gaza, the UN’s humanitarian body Ocha said on Tuesday

A boy prays as people walk along Gaza’s coastal al-Rashid Street to cross the Netzarim corridor from the southern Gaza Strip into the north

Tens of thousands of Palestinians, displaced by Israeli forces, return to their homes on Al-Rashid Street on the coastal strip

Displaced Gazans cross the Netzarim corridor

Those returning crossed through the Netzarim corridor, a swath of land bisecting the Gaza Strip that Israeli forces turned into a military zone to seal off the north

Palestinians, who were displaced to the south at Israel’s order, make their way back to their homes in northern Gaza

Throughout the war, Israel repeatedly ordered civilians to evacuate the north – for their safety, it said – but barred their return. Under the ceasefire’s terms, Israeli troops pulled back from the main routes to allow returns and are eventually to pull out completely from the corridor

Displaced Gazans walk toward Gaza City

Displaced Palestinians walk towards Gaza City as they cross the Netzarim corridor

Many of the homes of Palestinians were destroyed after more than 15 months of Israeli bombardment and a ground offensive against Hamas levelled large parts of Gaza City and the surrounding north

Hala Sleem holds a cat as she makes her way to her home in northern Gaza

Tens of thousands of Palestinians return to their lands from the south to the north, via Salah al-Din Road

Palestinians make their way to their homes

Displaced Palestinians make their way from the south to the northern parts of the Gaza Strip, on Salah al-Din road in Nuseirat

Palestinians try to survive in tents they set up among the debris of their demolished houses at Jabalia Palestinian refugee camp

Palestinians try to survive in tents they have set up among the debris of their demolished houses after the ceasefire agreement reached between Hamas and Israel, at Tel al-Hawa area in Gaza City