On Wednesday morning, the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah came into effect in Lebanon, ending more than a year of cross-border hostilities and two months of open war. For the Lebanese, this respite marks a break from the incessant bombings, bringing immense relief.
But in Gaza, where fighting has raged for 14 months, feelings are very different. As the coastal enclave continues to suffer devastating strikes, the Palestinian people feel forgotten. With more than 44,000 dead, the humanitarian situation is catastrophic and the hope of a ceasefire seems distant.
Initially, the announcement of the truce was received with emotion in Gaza. Many, like Ramzi, expressed solidarity with Lebanon, aware of the devastation that Israeli bombings have inflicted on the south of the country. But the euphoria quickly gave way to bitterness.
“Let them stop the war here too!”
“We are civilians too, we live in tents, we have nothing left, we are afraid for our children,” laments Ramzi, visibly upset. “Let them stop the war here too! Is there really no one strong enough to impose a ceasefire in Gaza? Palestinian blood has been shedding for over a year. Enough is enough.”
Gaza residents fear that the Lebanon deal has given the Israeli army a tacit green light to intensify its operations in the Palestinian enclave. This fear is exacerbated by the blockage of negotiations, particularly after Qatar suspended its mediation efforts, citing a lack of seriousness on the part of both parties.
Oum Mohammad, displaced to Deir Balah, shares her dismay: “We too want serious negotiations. We want all this to stop. We are exhausted.”
Faced with this situation, Gazans oscillate between pessimism and hope. Some, disillusioned, claim that with Hassan Nasrallah, leader of Hezbollah, a ceasefire would also have taken place in Gaza. Others, more optimistic, want to believe that Gaza will be the next to benefit from an agreement.
