Footage recorded from a drone has shown the extent of the damage and destruction to buildings in Gaza City, caused by Israeli attacks, the day after a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect.
Thousands of Palestinians have been trekking north along the coast of Gaza to their abandoned homes.
Israeli troops pulled back under the first phase of a US-brokered agreement reached this week to end the war, which has killed tens of thousands of people and left much of the enclave in ruins.
Around 500,000 people arrived in Gaza City, according to the civil defence agency, a rescue service operating under Hamas authority.
“This brings the total number of returnees to Gaza since yesterday to around 250,000 so far,” said Mohammed Al-Mughayyir, an official with the agency.