Joy fades as Gazans return to destroyed homes

As Palestinians took to the streets of Gaza to celebrate the ceasefire, the moments of joy for many faded as they returned to their homes to be met with destruction.

In Jabalia, a town in the northern Gaza Strip that is home to the Strip’s largest refugee camp, images and videos shared by residents showed entire neighborhoods reduced to rubble.

Returning to the al-Fallujah area of ​​Jabalia, Dua al-Khalidi told BBC News: “I survived with my two daughters, we got out from under the rubble of our house.

“The bodies of my husband, my mother-in-law and my daughter-in-law have been buried here, under the rubble, since October 9.”

The 28-year-old mother of two continued: “I want nothing more than their bodies so I can bury them with dignity.”

The Jabalia camp, once home to more than 250,000 Palestinians, was the site of the largest and most brutal Israeli military operation of the war, killing about 4,000 Palestinians, according to Hamas’ health ministry.

Hussein Awda, who documented his return from Gaza City, also returned to Jabalia.

A professional weightlifter who represented Palestine internationally, he lost 10 members of his family at the start of the war.

“The best thing that happened today is that after 100 days I was able to visit my family’s grave and pray for them,” he shared.

He also posted a video showing the destruction of his three-story home and the sports club he owns.

“Here I lost the people closest to my heart – brothers, sons, source of existence. The war killed everything beautiful in us.”

In the southern city of Khan Yunis, armed Hamas fighters drove through the streets, cheering the crowd and chanting, Reuters reports.

Hamas police in uniform were also deployed in some areas after months of hiding out of sight to avoid Israeli strikes.

Gaza City resident Ahmed Abu Ayham, who took refuge with his family in Khan Younis, told Reuters his hometown was “terrible”.

In a city that has According to experts, the greatest damage was donepeople were seen waving the Palestinian flag and filming the scenes on cellphones.

But the 40-year-old said it was no time to celebrate, despite the fact that the ceasefire could save lives.

“We feel pain, deep pain, and it’s time to hug each other and cry,” he said.

Gazans have also been moving to the southern city of Rafah near the Egyptian border.

Mohammed Suleiman told BBC Arabic on Lifeline: “Thank God, we received the news of the ceasefire coming into force with joy and happiness.

“God willing, everything will change for the better and we will return to Rafah. I hope that every displaced person will return to their home safely.”

Many fled the city after Israel ordered them to evacuate ahead of an operation in the southern Gaza city.

In Rafah, Muhammad al-Jamal, a journalist for the Palestinian newspaper Al-Ayyam, reflected on his own loss.

The house was razed to the ground; everything was turned into ruins, he said. – The chicken coop and the fig tree, the fruits of which we shared together, are now a thing of the past.”

The fragility of the ceasefire agreement became apparent in the first hours.

The truce finally came into effect after a three-hour delay during which 19 Palestinians were reportedly killed in what Israel said were strikes on “terrorist targets”.

until noon three Israeli hostages returned to Israel, as part of a six-week first phase, during which 33 hostages will be released.

But people in Gaza still fear that the truce could break down again.