Israeli tanks and soldiers are beginning to withdraw from Gaza and life in the Strip is beginning to return to some sort of normality, as a tense calm follows three weeks of fighting between Israel and Hamas. Our correspondent Christian Fraser reports from Gaza City:

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There were buildings pitted with Israeli tank rounds; from the holes that have been punched in the walls it was clear there had also been snipers waiting for them. North of Khan Younis we saw some of the Qassam fighters returning home, their rifles slung lazily around their shoulders.

The destruction we've seen has largely been inflicted on the Hamas infrastructure: police stations, military outposts, government buildings, so far the most extensive damage - that at the border in Rafah where nothing was spared.

For three weeks the Israelis pounded the tunnels that run beneath the perimeter wall but last night we met people who insist that some of these tunnels are still open and still some fuel is being pumped from the Egyptian side; impossible for us to verify independently, but they say they are determined to reopen them and to dig them deeper. If the border crossings remain close, say the Palestinians, these tunnels are their only link to the outside world.

Christian Fraser, BBC News, Gaza

Listen to the words

heading to
moving towards

makeshift
temporary

pitted with
with many small holes caused by

snipers
people whose task it is to shoot other people from a hidden location

slung lazily around
not being used but hanging over

inflicted on
caused/done to

military outposts
small military bases in remote areas or different country

nothing was spared
everything was severely damaged

to verify
to check

determined
very firm in their desire to do something and not letting anyone or any difficulties stop them

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