‘Sleeping without Fear’ – Gazans React to Hamas’ Acceptance of Ceasefire Proposal
The Palestine Chronicle spoke with residents of Gaza to know their view about the proposal and Hamas’ decision.
The Palestinian Resistance Movement Hamas announced on Monday its acceptance of a ceasefire proposal that would end the genocidal Israeli war on Gaza and would facilitate the exchange of prisoners, among other things.
Ismail Haniyeh, head of the political bureau of the Hamas movement, “informed the Egyptian and Qatari sides of the Hamas movement’s approval of their proposal regarding the ceasefire agreement,” the movement said in a statement.
Hamas later said that the necessary measures “to ensure the implementation of the agreement were also reviewed after the movement made its decision out of concern for our people and their supreme interests.”
The Palestine Chronicle spoke with residents of Gaza to know their view about the proposal and Hamas’ decision.
‘We Miss Our Home’
“We were very happy when we learned that Hamas and the other Resistance groups approved the proposal,” Ibrahim Hajazi told The Palestine Chronicle.
“We miss our homes, we want to return to our homes, we want the tragedy of displacement that we have been living for the last seven months to end,” he continued.
Hajazi noted how difficult the situation is now, when Israel has intensified its shelling of the eastern areas of Rafah.
“We have been living in tents in Rafah for several months, since we left our homes in the city of Gaza. There is no safe place for us, except by returning to our homes,” he said.
‘No Partial Deals’
Umm Khalid Shahada also wants the war to stop.
“We do not want a partial ceasefire deal, followed by a continuation of the war on Gaza as it happened last November,” she told The Palestine Chronicle.
“Hamas’ demands – stopping the war, Israel’s withdrawal, and the return of the refugees – are the demands of every Palestinian who has lived through pain and hardship during this horrific war,” Umm Khalid continued.
‘We Are Happy’
Alaa Zahed lives in a tent in Rafah.
“We were very happy when we learned of Hamas’ approval of the Egyptian-Qatari initiative,” he said.
“People started marching in the streets, even if we are worried that Israel will reject it. We know that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is working to sabotage the initiative.”
‘Sleeping without Fear’
Six-year-old Sherif Hamad wants to go back to his life.
“When my dad told me that Hamas agreed to stop the war, I was happy,” he said.
“I went out with my friends to the street, and we clapped and cheered. I hope to sleep tonight without bombing or fear. I hope to go back to my school and play with my friends soon.”
Sherif’s family initially evacuated from the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza but then returned to their home after a few months.
“Many of my friends are still in Rafah, living in tents. I miss them a lot, and I hope to see them and their return to their homes soon,” he said.
Worst War
Hajj Ramadan Emad is an elderly man, one of the few Nakba survivors who are still alive. He lived through the horror of Nakba in 1948, and, again this time around.
“We have suffered greatly in this war. Seven months of killing, destruction, and displacement are enough. The war must stop now,” he told The Palestine Chronicle.
“This war is worse than any other war in the past. The international community must pressure the Israeli occupation to accept the Egyptian-Qatari initiative and end the suffering of more than 2.3 million Palestinians living in Gaza.”
(The Palestine Chronicle)
– Abdallah Aljamal is a Gaza-based journalist. He is a correspondent for The Palestine Chronicle in the Gaza Strip. His email is abdallahaljamal1987@gmail.com