For many Gazans, these few days of calm were an opportunity to try to return to their homes in the north of the enclave and recognize that their neighborhoods had been finally destroyed by the fighting and bombings.
A truce that is coming to an end. The two-day extended cessation of fighting in the Gaza Strip, which allowed the release of several dozen hostages kidnapped by Hamas during the October 7 terrorist attacks, was seen as a breath of fresh air for the population of the Gaza Strip, where the humanitarian aid situation is still extremely complicated.
“We demand a life in peace, Jews and Arabs alike. We are not calling for war, we just want to live in security and peace, like all the other peoples of the world,” said Abu Khaled, a resident of the enclave, who, like the 2 million residents of the Gaza Strip, fear a return of fighting in the coming hours.
“What are we going to do?”
For many people, this ceasefire is also an opportunity to try to return to their homes in the north of the Gaza Strip, an area that has been gradually evacuated by the Israeli army to retrieve certain personal items. Neighborhoods are often unrecognizable and houses are destroyed by bomb attacks.
“Our homes are destroyed. Where can I go? What can I do? My wife and I have six children, what should we do?” asks Yaser Felfel, another resident.
For others, this temporary lull is also an opportunity to return to “normal” life, while in Gaza the temperature is around 10°C in the morning and food is scarce. Occasionally a market is improvised on the streets, but only a few fruits and vegetables fill the stalls.
“We had no water, no food, no flour for ten days. The situation is tough, very tough. We’re stuck here, but we still have to try to survive, nobody helps us,” complains Achraf Selim.
On Tuesday, the United Nations called for a permanent ceasefire, asserting that aid entering Gaza during the ceasefire was “not enough” for the entire population.
“We will continue until the end”
The ceasefire agreement, negotiated with the support of Egypt and the United States, has already enabled the release of 60 Israeli hostages and 180 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.
In the Gaza Strip, everyone now fears the return of fighting and bombings once the ceasefire ends, especially as the possibility of a ceasefire desired by the international community seems to be dwindling by the day.
During a visit to Palestinian territory, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu assured that the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip would continue “until victory.”
“We will continue until the end, until the victory. Nothing will stop us,” he told Israeli soldiers, according to a video released by his office. “We have three goals in this war: eliminate Hamas, return all of our abductees and ensure that Gaza does not become a threat to Israel again.”