Palestinians have been allowed to return home to the largely destroyed region of northern Gaza after more than 12 months of besiegement by Israel. Israel’s withdrawal comes in the wake of a fragile ceasefire brokered with Hamas in recent months.

Israeli bombardment and ground operations have flattened wide swaths of Gaza and displaced around 90% of its population of 2.3 million people. Many who have returned to their homes since the ceasefire began have found only mounds of rubble where their neighborhoods once stood.

Israel kept thousands of Palestinians from returning to their homes in northern Gaza as it accused Hamas of violating a fragile ceasefire by changing the order of hostages it has released.