Thousands return to destroyed Gaza homes after Israel truce

UN warns health facilities in danger of being overwhelmed and urges immediate access to Gaza for supplies and personnel.

Thousands of displaced Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip have started returning to their homes to check for damage, while Israelis returned to normal life, as a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took hold after 11 days of deadly fighting. Palestinian officials on Friday put the reconstruction costs at tens of millions of dollars. Five more bodies were pulled from Gaza’s rubble, taking the death toll to 248, including 66 children, with more than 1,900 wounded. The Israeli military said an Israeli soldier had been killed as well as 12 civilians, including two children. Hundreds were treated for injuries after rocket salvoes caused panic and sent people as far away as Tel Aviv rushing into shelters.