Hamas gathering hostages ‘now’, says Trump, as Palestinians return to rubble in northern Gaza – follow live

Next steps of Gaza ceasefire deal hinges on Trump’s involvementpublished at 09:16 BST

09:16 BST

Hugo Bachega
Middle East correspondent, reporting from Jerusalem

Image source, Getty Images

As they walk along dusty roads amid the wreckage of buildings, many in silence, there is shock and sadness: the scale of the destruction is difficult to comprehend. Displaced multiple times by the war, Palestinians are returning home, leaving behind their makeshift tents, but some are finding out there is nothing to go back to.

Families are searching the rubble for anything that can remind them of their old lives. The Gaza they knew is gone; and no-one seems to know what the Gaza of the future will be.

Medical teams, meanwhile, are already retrieving bodies under flattened buildings: more than 100 have already been found, with thousands more expected to be waiting to be recovered.

The ceasefire deal, achieved largely because of Trump’s personal involvement, is the first phase – probably the easiest – of the US president’s 20-point plan for Gaza. But what happens next, after the Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners are freed, is still not clear. The agreement was reached with extraordinary speed.

Its language is vague – which I explained a bit earlier – but there is no indication of the next steps. Many sticking points remain, including questions over the future of Hamas, the scale of the Israeli withdrawal and who is going to govern Gaza.

The negotiations are now expected to be more difficult, and both Israel and Hamas have reasons to try to stall the talks. There is momentum, but progress will only be possible if the president remains engaged with the process.