THOUSANDS of Palestinians are returning to some of the most heavily destroyed parts of Gaza amid Israel’s fragile ceasefire with Hamas.

It comes after Israel lifted its closure of the north for the first time since the early weeks of the 15-month war.

Huge crowds of people have been pictured walking with their belongings in hand along a main road that runs along the coast in scenes reminiscent of the mass exodus more than a year ago.

Yasmin Abu Amshah said she walked 6km to reach her home in Gaza City, where she found it badly damaged but still habitable.

The mum-of-three said: “It was a long trip, but a happy one. The most important thing is that we returned.”

Tens of thousands of Palestinians fled their homes in the north after Israel unleashed its retaliation for the October 7 atrocity.

They have been sheltering in squalid tent camps and schools-turned-shelters for more than a year.

Thousands are now taking the long coastal route on foot after Israel opened routes through the Netzarim Corridor, eager to return to their homes.

Many have likely been damaged or destroyed, however.

Others in cars have been directed to use Salah al-Din Street – but all flooding back in have been warned to avoid all areas where forces are deployed.

Many feared their exodus from Gaza would be permanent – fuelled by Donald Trump’s idea to resettle huge numbers of Palestinians in Egypt or Jordan.

Describing Gaza as a “demolition site”, the newly-inaugurated president revealed radical plans to “clean out” the strip.

He said: “You’re talking about probably a million and a half people, and we just clean out that whole thing.

“Almost everything is demolished and people are dying there.”

Trump called on neighbouring Arab nations to take in more Palestinians.

He said: “I’d like Egypt to take people. And I’d like Jordan to take people.”

The president added that the move “could be temporary” or “long-term”.

Both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority condemned Trump’s proposal.

The pre-war population of Gaza was over two million people and over 45,000 people have been killed since October 7, 2023, according to the United Nations.

Trump’s plans would be a stark change from the US’s previous policy which promoted a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine.

But many have seen today’s return as repudiation of Trump’s suggestion.

Ismail Abu Matter, a father of four who waited for three days near the crossing point before moving north with his family, described scenes of jubilation on the other side.

He said people were singing, praying and crying as they were reunited with relatives.

The opening was delayed for two days over a dispute between Hamas and Israel, which said the terror group changed the order of the hostages it released.

Mediators resolved the dispute overnight.

The ceasefire is aimed at winding down the deadliest and most destructive war ever fought between Israel and Hamas and securing the release of dozens of hostages captured in the October 7 attack. 

Six more hostages are set to be released this week, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.