With ceasefire in effect, thousands trek to northern Gaza

(NewsNation) — Thousands of displaced Palestinians began the journey home to northern Gaza on Friday after the Israel-Hamas ceasefire went into effect.

Fadel Mghari, a freelance photojournalist based in Gaza, captured the moments after the ceasefire was announced in the Netzarim Axis, near the Mediterranean Sea.

Also referred to as the Netzarim Corridor, the roughly 4-mile road divides northern Gaza from the rest of the Strip. It was built by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) in 2023 and was used to carry out raids during the war.

In one image, a man can be seen sprinting toward Gaza City with a wide smile.

The IDF issued a statement on social media Friday morning, announcing “The Ceasefire Agreement Came Into Effect at 12:00,” and adding that “Since 12:00, IDF troops began positioning themselves along the updated deployment lines in preparation for the ceasefire agreement and the return of hostages."

The military said its troops would continue to “remove any immediate threat.”

The ceasefire — which comes after President Trump unveiled a 20-point peace plan late last month — signals an end to Israel’s two-year war with Hamas, which broke out after the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks, in which Hamas killed nearly 1,200 people and took approximately 250 others hostage.

According to Gaza health officials, more than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed in the fighting, and at least half are believed to be women and children. 

The "first phase" of Trump's ceasefire agreement includes the return of the remaining hostages and Israel withdrawing some of its troops from the war zone. The president, who is expected to travel to the Middle East over the weekend, said U.S. troops will be sent to Israel to oversee the deal.

NewsNation's Meg Hilling and The Hill's Brett Samuels contributed to this report.