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Gazans return to Khan Younis after Israel pull-out

There's "hardly anything left"  of homes in Khan Younis, a resident told the BBC. Credit: Reuters

Palestinians are returning to Khan Younis after Israel's military announced on Sunday it was reducing its soldier numbers in the southern Gaza Strip. As Gazans make their way to a city largely destroyed by six months of war, many are finding rubble where their homes were. “We came to check our house. We didn’t find anything," resident Asad Abu Ghalwa said.  Still, this return gives hope to some displaced Palestinians like Muhammad al-Mughrabi, who used to live further north in Gaza City. "I dream daily of returning to my hometown," he told Rushdi Abualouf. For now, Mr al-Mughrabi is in Rafah, with more than a million Palestinians. Israel's pull-out, however, is not being seen as a sign that the war is drawing closer to an end, but rather a tactical move. The country's military and political leaders remain intent on leading a ground offensive on Rafah, which they say is necessary to dismantle Hamas. Meanwhile, in Cairo, ceasefire negotiations are continuing between Israel and Hamas. 

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• The next steps: With or without American support, an offensive into Rafah is not imminent, reports our Middle East correspondent Hugo Bachega. You can find more analysis and pictures from Khan Younis on our live page.
  
  
• Six months on: How close is Israel to eliminating Hamas? My BBC Verify colleagues report on what we know so far.
  
  
• Over the weekend: Israel's military says it has recovered the body of a man taken hostage and held in Gaza, before pulling out of Khan Younis.

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