Even before the sun heralded a frigid dawn, a huge and restless crowd set off north along Gaza’s coastal road. They were young and old. Many carried large white plastic bags and suitcases, others small children. Some hopped slowly on crutches and others wore flip-flops, while a few even walked barefoot. One pair of young men linked arms as they strode and sang.

As dawn broke in Gaza on Monday, footage and photos captured by NBC News’ crew showed tens of thousands of Palestinians heading toward a checkpoint on the Netzarim corridor, which bisects the enclave, and into the heavily bombed north. The path is named for a former Israeli settlement, and is considered vital by the Israeli military hoping to keep militants from traveling across Gaza.

For many, the journey home after 15 months of Israeli bombardment brought tears as they held onto their loved ones and clutched their belongings tightly.

Others traveled in cars, trucks and rickshaws lined up along the highway, carrying tents and mattresses after seeking shelter in the central and southern parts of the enclave.

Under the terms of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, residents of northern Gaza were slated to return over the weekend before Israel closed the crossings after it said Hamas had breached the deal by failing to release Arbel Yehud, a 29-year-old Israeli civilian hostage.

The hold-up came as President Donald Trump said Saturday that Palestinians should leave the Gaza Strip to “clean out” the enclave, adding that he had asked the king of Jordan to take them in.

News that Israel would reopen the first checkpoint in central Gaza at 7 a.m. local time (midnight ET) came Sunday after Qatari mediators announced that Hamas had agreed to hand over Yehud along with two other hostages.

For many displaced residents, the thought of reuniting with family brought a renewed sense of hope and jubilation. The violence drove some 90% of the enclave’s residents from their homes, with many living for months in squalid tent camps.

Palestinians who had been waiting at the roadblocks for two days burst into cheers as Israeli troops monitored from the sidelines.

Sanaa Al-Qassab, 45, told NBC News that she hadn’t expected to return to her home in northern Gaza, as she held her young daughter’s hand while walking along the sandy strip with heavy bags slung over her shoulder.

“We waited here for three days in the cold and hunger to return,” she said. “They told us we would return at this time and then another time.”

“I am very happy we will meet our families,” she added.

The move brokered by Qatar and Egypt would allow around 650,000 Palestinians in central and southern Gaza to return to the north of the enclave.

“I haven’t seen my family for a year and a half, I want to go back to see them. I’ve been waiting for three days to go to my parents,” Mohammed Adas, 19, told Reuters.

Ghada, a mother of five, told Reuters via a chat app that she had “no sleep” in anticipation of returning home.

“I have everything packed and ready to go with the first light of day,” she said, adding, “At least we are going back home, now I can say war is over and I hope it will stay calm.”

Local health officials say more than 47,000 people have been killed in Israeli bombing during the conflict, which began Oct. 7, 2023, when the Palestinian militant group Hamas carried out a terrorist attack on Israel in which Israeli officials say 1,200 people were killed and 251 people taken hostage.

The fighting is currently paused since a ceasefire deal went into effect Jan. 15.