Thousands of Palestinians took to the streets in Gaza as a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas began on Sunday, some celebrating, some visiting the graves of relatives, while many walked back to their homes.
“I feel like after wandering in the desert for 15 months I finally found some water to drink. I feel alive again,” said Aya, a displaced woman from Gaza City who lives in Deir al-Aziya, in the central Gaza Strip. -Taking shelter in Balah. For more than a year, he told Reuters via a chat app.
Despite a nearly three-hour delay in the implementation of the agreement after a devastating 15-month conflict, armed Hamas fighters marched through the southern city of Khan Yunis to the cheers and slogans of the crowd.
Hamas policemen dressed in blue police uniforms are deployed in some areas after months of trying to remain out of sight to avoid Israeli air strikes.
People gathered to cheer on the fighters, chanting “Greetings to the al-Qassam Brigades.”
“All resistance groups remain in spite of (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu,” one fighter told Reuters, referring to Hamas’s armed wing.
“This is an armistice, complete and comprehensive by the will of God, and there will be no return to war in spite of that.”
The ceasefire agreement took effect after a nearly three-hour delay, halting a war that has brought seismic political change to the Middle East and giving hope to Gaza’s 2.3 million people, many of whom have been displaced multiple times.
The Palestinian Civil Emergency Service said at least 13 people were killed in attacks in the enclave during a delay in Israeli military attacks. No further attacks were reported after the attack took effect at 11:15 a.m. (0915 GMT).
“Now we look forward to the day when we return to our homes in Gaza City,” Aya said. “It doesn’t matter whether damaged or not, the nightmare of death and starvation is over.”
Ahmed Abu Ayham, 40, who was taking refuge in Khan Younis after being displaced from Gaza City with his family, said the scene of destruction in his home city was “horrible”, adding that even though the ceasefire had saved lives, This is not the time to celebrate.
“We are in pain, in deep pain and now it is time for us to hug each other and cry,” Abu Eham said via the same app.
According to Israeli officials, the long-awaited ceasefire agreement could help end the Gaza war, which began after Hamas, which controls the small coastal territory, attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people. They went.
The Israeli response has reduced much of Gaza to rubble and killed about 47,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza-based health officials.
“The war is over, but the destruction and the losses we suffered will not make life any better,” Aya said. “But I hope at least there will be no bloodshed of women and children.”
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)