One week into the ceasefire in Gaza, many Palestinians are returning to their homes, only to find destruction. The Abu Dalfa family stands amid the ruins of Sheikh Radwan, a once-bustling neighborhood in Gaza City. The area, filled with apartments and families, is now a landscape of dust and debris, heavily damaged by Israeli airstrikes. The family had fled south as Israeli troops advanced into Gaza City. Upon their return, they discovered their home was completely destroyed. "There is no other place. There are no shelters," said Hamdi Abu Dalfa. He expressed frustration over unfulfilled promises for tents and aid. "They promised to bring us a lot of things and we didn't get anything, so where will we go?" Hamdi's grief is compounded by the loss of two sons, who were killed during the conflict. As he sifts through the rubble, he searches for belongings. "Every person wants to take refuge [somewhere] so I took refuge in my house. It's better than sitting in places where I can't live," he said. His wife, Samar, is also digging through the debris, hoping to find items that belonged to their children. "I miss every corner of the house, everything," she said. "I long to pull out my son's blanket — because it still has his smell — to remember him." The couple's 10-year-old daughter, Yusra, is also searching for her belongings. "We came back and found the house bombed," she said. Yusra expressed sadness over losing her toys and books, which she has not seen in two years due to the conflict. As the family attempts to create a makeshift shelter from the wreckage, Hamdi notes that the tents provided are inadequate for the harsh weather. "We'll make a good tent so we can sit in it and be stable," Yusra said, reflecting on her hopes for their home. The United Nations reports that two-thirds of Gaza's buildings have been damaged or destroyed, totaling over 163,000 structures. This includes more than 52,000 buildings that have been completely destroyed. The Gaza governorate has been the hardest hit, with significant damage in Gaza City itself. The ongoing destruction has severely impacted Gaza's infrastructure, including essential services like electricity, water, and sanitation. As winter approaches, families like the Abu Dalfa's face the prospect of enduring cold and rain in the ruins of their homes. Samar reflected on their previous life, saying, "My life was beautiful, thank God. I wasn't lacking anything and my children were around me and my husband. Now it's destroyed and now we're dispersed." The situation remains dire as families continue to navigate the aftermath of the conflict, searching for shelter and stability amid the devastation.