Thousands of Palestinians Rush Back to Gaza as Ceasefire Takes Effect
CAIRO/GAZA – Thousands of Palestinians took to the streets of Gaza as a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas went into effect on Sunday. Some residents were jubilant, while others visited the graves of relatives or returned to survey the damage to their homes.
The ceasefire came after a nearly three-hour delay, bringing an end to 15 months of devastating conflict. Aya, a displaced woman from Gaza City, described the feeling of finally having “water to drink after getting lost in the desert” and exclaimed, “I feel alive again.”
Hamas fighters drove through the streets of Khan Younis, where crowds cheered and chanted despite the delay in the ceasefire. Armed police officers, who had been keeping out of sight to avoid Israeli airstrikes, also deployed in some areas.
Many residents were forced to flee their homes, leaving behind what was left of their lives. One family in Jabalia, the largest of Gaza’s eight historic refugee camps, used shovels to clear the rubble of their collapsed walls.
The ceasefire agreement requires 600 truckloads of aid to be allowed into Gaza every day of the initial six-week ceasefire, including 50 carrying fuel. The World Food Programme reported that aid trucks began crossing the border on Sunday morning.
For many Palestinians, the ceasefire is a welcome relief, but they remain concerned about the devastation left behind. Ahmed Abu Ayham, a resident of Gaza City, described the scene of destruction in his home city as “dreadful” and said that while the ceasefire may have spared lives, it was no time for celebrations.
