World Courant
Celebrations have damaged out throughout the Gaza Strip after a long-awaited ceasefire got here into impact after 15 months of struggle that left a lot of the Palestinian coastal enclave in ruins.
The ceasefire took impact at 11:15 a.m. native time (0915 GMT) on Sunday after Hamas, via mediators, handed over to Israel a listing of three feminine prisoners to be launched as a part of the deal.
“My pleasure is immeasurable,” mentioned Om Salah, a Gaza resident.
“The second they declared the ceasefire, I rapidly packed all my issues as a result of I’m able to go to Gaza Metropolis. My kids are very completely happy to go to our households, kinfolk and our nation,” she advised Al Jazeera.
“Right here we’re at all times afraid and anxious, however at residence we will probably be very completely happy and pleasure will come into our lives once more.”
Youngsters wave Palestinian flags within the metropolis of Rafah after the ceasefire (Abed Rahim Khatib/Anadolu)
A younger Palestinian man mentioned: “Everyone seems to be completely happy, particularly the kids.”
“Hopefully the Israelis won’t violate the ceasefire within the coming days,” he advised Al Jazeera.
He mentioned that now he simply wished to complete his training. “Loads of desires have been destroyed throughout this genocide.”
‘We made it alive’
Gaza’s well being staff and rescue staff have been additionally seen celebrating within the streets. Movies shared on-line and verified by Al Jazeera confirmed a number of civil protection groups singing anthems and elevating victory indicators.
Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud, reporting from exterior Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir el-Balah, mentioned “no violations have been reported because the ceasefire took impact.”
“There have been no extra bombs, no extra fighter jets and no extra drones. The one sound of gunshots we hear comes from celebrations within the streets – gunshots and fireworks are frequent,” he mentioned.
Earlier than the ceasefire took impact, Israeli forces killed not less than 19 extra Palestinians and wounded dozens of others on Sunday, bringing the overall variety of deaths throughout the 15-month genocide to just about 47,000. Palestinians and human rights teams say the precise demise toll might be a lot greater.
Not less than 1,139 folks have been killed in Israel throughout the Hamas-led assaults on October 7, 2023, and round 250 have been captured.
Al Jazeera’s Hind Khoudary, reporting from Khan Younis, mentioned Palestinians from the southern metropolis of Rafah described the destruction triggered there by Israel as “magnificent.”
“They did not even know the place their neighborhood was,” she mentioned.
“Nonetheless, individuals are very completely happy. You see everybody smiling, you see everybody singing, and most Palestinians say, ‘We got here out of this struggle alive.’”
‘Uncertainty and concern’
Al Jazeera’s Mahmoud reported that within the courtyard of the hospital the place he was reporting, Palestinian households had begun to tear down their tents and return to their properties that that they had been pressured to evacuate as a result of brutal Israeli bombing.
“What we see right here is households excitedly gathering their belongings – no matter they could have collected throughout their hospital keep. There may be a lot pleasure on their faces as they depart the hospital gate,” he added.
Palestinians decide their manner via the rubble as they attempt to return to their properties (Khalil Ramzi/Reuters)
Anwar, a displaced Palestinian man dwelling in Khan Younis who didn’t give his surname, mentioned he hoped to return to Rafah regardless of reviews that his residence had been destroyed.
“I’m going there and in search of a spot the place I can put up a tent the place I can dwell with my household of eight,” he advised Al Jazeera. ‘I’ve to return to my metropolis. I’ve to return to the place I used to be born.”
Anwar mentioned the struggle months have been like a “nightmare”. “It was actually a nightmare, like we have been dreaming after which we received up once more,” Anwar mentioned.
He mentioned he and his household lived in flimsy tents, with out sufficient meals or water, and that costs for items have been “scarily excessive.”
Nour Saqqa, a displaced Palestinian girl from Gaza Metropolis, mentioned she is feeling an “overwhelming mixture of feelings.”
“We now have not been in a position to really feel fully relieved, not solely due to the stress these fifteen months have been, but in addition due to the ceasefire itself – the truth that it has been fragmented somewhat than introduced and carried out suddenly,” Saqqa mentioned. advised Al Jazeera in Rafah.
Saqqa mentioned the truth that she and different Palestinians from Gaza Metropolis are nonetheless not allowed to return to their properties within the first part of the ceasefire is inflicting “much more psychological stress” to the inhabitants.
“We continuously dwell on this uncertainty and concern that even this reduction shouldn’t be fairly full.”
‘Pleasure with out measure’: celebrations in Gaza as long-awaited ceasefire begins | Israeli-Palestinian Battle Information
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