As friends propped him up among the cheering crowd and bullets were fired in the air, he spoke of the relief brought on by the prospect of peace.
“Now we can sleep safely and comfortably; that’s it, nothing more,” he said.
Most of Gaza’s 2.3 million people have been forced from their homes during the war, which has also shattered the enclave’s infrastructure and hospitals. It is unclear what the future holds for Gazans if the ceasefire lasts and once fighting ends — the enclave was blockaded by Israel and Egypt before the war and political solutions to the decades-long conflict between Israel and the Palestinians appear as elusive as ever.
Inside the tent encampments of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, thousands of pairs of eyes were glued to television screens in anticipation of the deal’s announcement late Wednesday. Celebrations erupted soon after, with people spilling out into the streets to sing, dance and wave Palestinians flags.
The ceasefire deal, which would probably take effect on Sunday, pending approval from the Israeli Cabinet, comes after intense negotiations between and mediation from Qatar, Egypt and the U.S.
Under a three-phase agreement, the deal would allow displaced Palestinians to return to their homes — where their homes remain — as Israeli forces withdraw to the Gaza border. The transfer of hostages and prisoners will also take place as humanitarian aid, hospitals and health care centers resume to serve civilians.
But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday he was delaying a cabinet vote, accusing Hamas of reneging on parts of the agreement. Hamas says it is “committed” to the truce.
For many inside the Palestinian enclave, a ceasefire agreement offers not only the prospect of respite from airstrikes, but also the promise of returning home after months of displacement and taking shelter in makeshift tents inside refugee camps.
“We have been waiting for this moment of joy,” said Zafar Abou Alarag in Khan Younis.
But the relief was also tinged with worry as many spoke of rebuilding their homes after more than a year of devastation.
“We have gotten used to the tents and want to return to living,” Abou Alarag continued. “I want to return to my land, I want to build one room with a bathroom because there is no house.”
