Speaker 1: The Israel-Hamas ceasefire is now in its fifth day, and that has enabled some Palestinian families in Gaza to return to their homes. But after 15 months of war, much of the Gaza Strip has been reduced to rubble, where in many cases, the bodies of dead family members still remain. Our Tom Sufy-Burrage reports from the region on the difficult negotiations still ahead so that more Palestinian families can return to Gaza and more hostages can return to their loved ones.

Speaker 2: Gaza has been turned into a wasteland of ruins and rubble. From this drone's-eye view of northern Gaza, no building is untouched, and everywhere you look, across entire neighbourhoods, Israel's war against Hamas has left apocalyptic destruction. But with a ceasefire in place, people in Gaza are venturing back into their neighbourhoods again. The Ghali family are on the move. After leaving the tents they've lived in for months, taking the few possessions they still have and heading back through shattered streets. Ayyad Abu Ghali climbing through the rubble to reach what was his family home. All around, evidence of the destructive force of Israeli missiles and bombs.

Speaker 3: HE SPEAKS ARABIC

Speaker 2: Many homes that are still standing are wrecked inside. And as people wonder how they will ever rebuild, there's also fear that war will soon return. The deal between Hamas and Israel that halted the fighting and saw three Israeli hostages freed Sunday and hugging their families again is only based initially on a six-week ceasefire. On inauguration day, President Trump said he's not confident a second phase of the deal can be reached to prolong the truce. I'm not confident. It's not our war, it's their war, but... I apologise. I'm not confident. And free all remaining hostages, those still living and those who are dead. Tal Haimi was killed in the October 7 massacre, but his body was taken into Gaza by Hamas.

Speaker 4: We had a funeral service, but we buried an empty coffin.

Speaker 2: His cousin, Udi Goran, says if Israel prioritises all of the hostages, it will further weaken Hamas.

Speaker 4: It is in our interest to bring back the hostages, because that's more valuable to Hamas than anything else. And once we have the hostages back home, then we need to keep doing what we're actually doing right now, collaborating with the mediators in creating a different future for Gaza, where Hamas is not a part of it.

Speaker 2: But as soon as the ceasefire kicked in in Gaza, Hamas gunmen were parading through the streets... ..and then using the hostage handover to show they were back in charge. With no sign Hamas is willing to capitulate, a former Israeli general who's close to the Israeli government says it's unlikely the six-week ceasefire will be prolonged.

Speaker 5: When Israel talks about a second deal, it's not only about releasing hostages, it's also about Hamas stopping its control over Gaza and leaving Gaza.

Speaker 6: After 15 months of war, you haven't achieved that. Isn't there a risk that the war will just go on and on and on?

Speaker 5: Well, I think that we can definitely militarily destroy Hamas.

Speaker 6: But if you don't prolong the ceasefire, there will still be hostages in Gaza.

Speaker 5: Yeah, and we'll have to pressure and continue degrading Hamas' capabilities to an extent where they will understand that it's game over.

Speaker 2: But while teams in Gaza search the rubble for more bodies, there is no clear sense of who or what could rule the Strip if Hamas were gone. The war has already killed 47,000 people, says Gaza's health ministry run by Hamas. Just look at Gaza before the war and how devastated it is now. Aid agencies warn thousands more dead haven't yet been counted or found. Mahmoud says the bodies of his wife and all five of his young children are still lying under his home, which was bombed. He says he just wants to be able to bury his entire family.

Speaker 7: Our thanks to Tom Sufi-Burge for that.