With a ceasefire agreement pausing the war between Israel and Hamas, Israeli troops have withdrawn from Gaza city centers. For the first time in eight months, NPR got a glimpse of Rafah this week.

An agreement has been reached between Israel and Hamas that involves the release of additional hostages and the return of Palestinians to the northern part of the Gaza Strip.

Hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians returning to their homes in northern Gaza have passed through checkpoints in a central zone of the enclave where scanners check for concealed weapons being taken in cars and vehicles.

Gaza City is one of many areas where the Israeli military ordered residents to evacuate as it carried out its offensive. The Palestinians often headed to southern Gaza, only to be told later to evacuate again as Israel attacked there as well.

Under the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, thousands of Palestinians have begun the painful journey back to their homes in northern Gaza. After being displaced for over 16 months, many are returning to find their homes destroyed and their communities shattered.