Originally published by rosalux.de
Two years after the brutal Hamas massacre and subsequent begin of the genocidal war in Gaza, a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas was finally signed on 9 October.
Even if the so-called peace plan brokered by US President Donald Trump leaves many important questions completely unanswered and scepticism is warranted, the agreed ceasefire, which is to be accompanied by the withdrawal of the Israeli armed forces, the release of the Israeli hostages, and the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli prisons, is an important step forward.
Finally, there is a glimmer of hope and the people of Palestine and Israel can breathe a sigh of relief, even if they know that it may be a brief moment. Even this moment of joy is riddled with pain, suffering, and fear. In order to hear from people in Israel and Palestine, we publish voices that are part of our networks there. We thank the authors for sharing their thoughts with us.
“About the ceasefire. Since this morning when the ceasefire was announced, I have had mixed feelings between joy and fear of the agreement failing after all the previous failed attempts. We want to jump for joy and scream in pain for all our loved ones we have lost, for Gaza that was destroyed, and for our dreams that were killed. Our pain and our tragedy are indescribable. It seems that the space for sadness, fear, and pain is much larger than the space for joy. We need time to be able to rejoice and heal from all our traumas and psychological illnesses left behind by the Israeli occupation army. Yes, we dream of peace, stability, and living in safety like the rest of the peoples of the world. We hope that the crossings will open soon and that we can breathe clean air free of gunpowder and drink unpolluted water and that the famine we have been suffering from for months will end and that aid will enter. We are full of hope that all the free people of the world will stand by us in order to complete the dream and draw the curtain on a dark historical moment that will not be forgotten by the conscience of all the free people of the world.
In the end, I extend my sincere thanks to everyone who supported our steadfastness from all the countries of the world, peoples and governments. We are free and you are free.”
“Hamas’s response is responsible, and we supported them in it. We call for an immediate Palestinian meeting to collectively confront the repercussions of this phase and close the chapter of division. The Israeli war of extermination must be stopped immediately and aid must be allowed into Gaza. There is a necessity of investing in the very turbulent international climate and solidarity with the Palestinian people in order to achieve the establishment of a Palestinian state and hold war criminals accountable for the genocide committed against Palestinians in Gaza.”
“The moment the ceasefire was announced, I could feel the numbness in my body lifting and my heart beating wildly. I broke out in a sweat and tears began streaming down my face. I tried to stop myself. After two years of death and destruction, I no longer have a home. I have lost many colleagues and friends, some of whom were killed directly by the occupying forces’ missiles, while others were forcibly disappeared and their fate remains unknown to this day. One such person is Nidal al-Wahidi.
After I moved to Cairo eight months after leaving Gaza, I was separated from my family. Even when I close my eyes, my mind never sleeps. I never put my phone on silent, always waiting for bad news. At night, I close my eyes, but I have nightmares. I have repeatedly seen my child in my dreams with no limbs. I have also had nightmares about losing my husband and experienced the pain of my family’s martyrdom. I have also dreamt that I was martyred, leaving my child as the sole survivor of the genocide.
After two years, a ceasefire is a tragedy, and it would be an even greater tragedy if the war continues or if we are betrayed by the occupation. All I hope for now is an end to the bloodshed. I want nothing else from the world but this. I want to break down; I want to cry and scream. I want to understand all the tragedies that have befallen us. Perhaps if I do, I will go mad! But I know that we have already gone mad, along with all the mental health issues that come with genocide.
What concerns me most now are the sole survivors and the families of the prisoners who may not live to see the truce. They are in an endless cycle, and I am with them. Dead with a stay of execution.”
“Today, with the announcement of cease fire in Gaza, I found the most appropriate thing to do is to give a day off to my colleagues in Gaza, this team of more than 150 staff members of counsellors, social workers, facilitators, and animators who are doing the impossible in Gaza to help and support children. And this is what they did, they gathered to celebrate the news, to celebrate the end of the daily killing.
Look at their faces, look at this happiness. Here in Cairo, I miss all of them, I look for the moment to meet them, to hug them, to listen to them, to let them speak out what they went through during these two horrible years. But behind this massive happiness hides unspeakable pain, agony, sorrow, loss, and major concern.
The war stopped, the bombing stopped. The killing stopped. What next, with a city completely destroyed? With absence of law and order, with no rolling authority, and with poverty and no jobs or work for the majority of the people of Gaza — what kind of life it will be? Would 2 million people keep living depending on humanitarian aid? On food and non-food items distribution? Is this the life waiting for them?
During these two years of war and chaos, , Israel created armed militias in several places. Reconstruction of Gaza will take years and years and Israel will do all it can to delay the reconstruction, will continue feeding the internal disputes and supporting the militias.
The real war is ending, but there are still many battles to happen, and this time it will not be in the news.”
“We hope that the ceasefire deal will mean an end to the genocide of the Palestinian people in Gaza and allow the entry of humanitarian aid. However, we do not trust Israel or the US, as Israeli violated the ceasefire agreement before, and we are concerned that Israel will violate the ceasefire as soon as the prisoner exchange is completed. What we rely on is the international solidarity that has supported Palestine across the world. Netanyahu is wanted by the ICC, and Israel should be held accountable for the genocide and war crimes it committed to Gaza — otherwise, what is the point of international law and human rights?”
“All Palestinian political parties welcome the ceasefire deal, as it signifies an end to the Israeli assaults on Gaza and the ongoing process of ethnic cleansing. Nonetheless, Israel has violated ceasefire agreements before, so there are no guarantees. Statements such as those made by Smotrich, that Israel should resume its assaults on Gaza after the prisoner exchange, reveal the true intentions of the Israeli government, which are aimed at annihilating the Palestinian people. Israel should be held accountable for the genocide it has committed in Gaza; otherwise, the entire structure of international law and human rights becomes meaningless for the world.”