In pictures: Palestinians return to piles of rubble following Gaza ceasefire
After a ceasefire came into effect in the early hours of Friday morning, Palestinians poured onto rubble-filled streets across Gaza as they returned to see what was left of their homes after 11 days of aerial bombardment by Israel (All photos by Mohammed al-Hajjar/MEE).
Carrying what belongings they were able to escape with, Palestinians sought to assess what damage had been inflicted on their homes and neighbourhoods.
A woman works to clear the rubble and debris from her home, as another woman sits on a large piece of concrete ripped from the building's structure.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on the international community to unite in providing assistance to reconstruction efforts in Gaza.
A woman sits in the demolished ruins of her home, bombed by an Israeli air strike.
A child stands in the wreckage of her neighbourhood in the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli air strikes, which killed at least 243 Palestinians including including 66 children and 39 women, wiped out entire residential buildings.
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