Masses of Palestinians began returning to their homes in northern Gaza in their thousands on Monday after Israel and Hamas said they had reached a deal for the release of another six hostages.
It marks the first time that Palestinians have been allowed to reach northern Gaza since the outbreak of Israel's deadly 15-month long war on the enclave, currently enjoying a fragile ceasefire.
Israel had been preventing Palestinians from returning to their homes in northern Gaza, accusing Hamas of violating the terms of the truce, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said late Sunday they would be allowed to pass after the new deal was reached.
Crowds began making their way north along a coastal road on foot Monday morning, carrying what belongings they could, images showed.
"This is the happiest day of my life," said Lamees al-Iwady, a 22-year-old who returned to Gaza City on Monday after being displaced several times.
"I feel as though my soul and life have returned to me," she said. "We will rebuild our homes, even if it's with mud and sand."
Hamas has also concluded that 25 of the Israeli captives it said it would release are still alive, with the rest have been confirmed as dead.
Meanwhile in Lebanon, the country's ceasefire will be extended until mid-February, Beirut announced, even though the Israeli military failed to meet a deadline to withdraw its troops.
Thousands of those displaced from their homes in south Lebanon also began returning home on Monday, a day after Israel also killed 22 people in the south of the country on the ceasefire withdrawal deadline.