State of the World from NPR What is it like to return to Gaza?
Feb 20, 2026
Anas Baba, an NPR field reporter covering on-the-ground life in Gaza. He shares accounts of a handful of returnees who faced confiscations at Rafah, limits on belongings, stops by militias and intense screenings. Stories include shock at razed neighborhoods and bittersweet reunions amid fragile conditions.
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Return After Two Years Away
- Amina Osman spent nearly two years stuck in Egypt seeking health care before returning to Gaza during the ceasefire.
- She found her neighborhood razed and arrived to a destroyed home and uncertain future.
Very Few Allowed Back Initially
- Fewer than 300 people returned to Gaza in the first two weeks after Rafah reopened, per the UN.
- Returnees report intense scrutiny and severe limits on what they could bring into Gaza.
Confiscated Medicines And Belongings
- Huda Abu Abid, a 57-year-old with a heart condition, said entering Gaza felt like entering a prison.
- She reports Palestinian authorities and EU-monitored guards confiscated medicines, phones, and even a water bottle.