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Battered by months of war, Palestinians in Gaza greet ceasefire prospects with cautious optimism

Speaking to Middle East Eye, residents of Gaza point to past failures to bring a halt to the war on the besieged territory
PalestinianRubbleWar-GazaCity-JAN2025-AFP-OmarAl-Qattaa
A man stands surrounded by rubble after an Israeli strike in Gaza City's al-Zaytoun neighbourhood (AFP/Omar al-Qattaa)
By Ahmed Aziz in Khan Younis, occupied Palestine and Mera Aladam

According to reports out of Doha, negotiators are on the brink of agreeing to a ceasefire to end the war on Gaza after 15 months of bloody conflict.

Palestinians in Gaza are cautiously optimistic that the war will end but are voicing concerns about how they will rebuild the besieged territory.

Those in the besieged enclave have endured Israeli aerial, land and sea attacks, which have so far resulted in the killing of at least 46,645 people and the wounding of more than 110,000 people, with thousands more missing and presumed dead.

In just the past 24 hours, the Palestinian Ministry of Health reported that Israeli forces carried out four massacres in the Gaza Strip, resulting in at least 61 deaths and 281 injuries.

Yasmeen Fara, a resident in Gaza, says that previous failed attempts at reaching a deal had dampened the sense of optimism.

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"To be honest, I do not know what more is left. Every minute is filled with blood and the loss of souls, we no longer have anything left to cry about," she told Middle East Eye.

'To be honest, I do not know what more is left. Every minute is filled with blood and the loss of souls, we no longer have anything left to cry about'

- Yasmeen Fara, Gaza

Speaking about the prospect of an end to conflict, she said: "A person has to thank God, and be thankful for the patience and resilience we had throughout this time.

"We'll cry over the rubble. We are starting from scratch... we will try and continue living... hopefully God gives us happy days ahead."

Hamas and Israel, as well as mediators from Qatar, Egypt and the US, are reportedly finalising the fine points of a deal to bring an end to the fighting.

Key points of contention had been the fate of captives held on both sides and the future presence of Israeli soldiers in Gaza, as well as the potential return of Palestinians displaced from the north of Gaza to their homes there.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has for months been seen by critics as a key obstacle to reaching a settlement, with observers saying that it was in the beleaguered leader's interest to continue the war to avoid fracturing his fragile governing coalition at home.

A sense of gratitude

For the residents of Gaza, that context is secondary to the more pressing concern of ending the mass killings that have left few parts of the territory untouched.

Mohammed al-Masri, a doctor, said that residents are watching the developments in Doha with great interest.

"We hope to God that these attempts [at reaching a deal] come to fruition in the next few hours, with the announcement marking an end to these bloody massacres and an end to the continuous fountains of blood that have spilled," he said.

'We will kneel down in gratitude to God, that he has gifted us life after these hardships'

Mohammed al-Masri, doctor in Gaza

Masri added that if an announcement was made, he would go back to his home in Beit Hanoun in the north of Gaza, from where he was displaced.

Like many of those who have survived the war physically unscathed, he expressed gratitude that he had survived so long.

"It is as if we will wear a crown of survival for all those who have endured this war. We will kneel down in gratitude to God, that he has gifted us life after these hardships." Masri said.

"We are hopeful that we will meet our loved ones, that these massacres will end, and that families will be reunited, where we can finally mourn the loss of our martyrs and watch over those wounded."

For many survivors of Israel's military campaign, which has been described as "genocide" by human rights groups, such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, there is a sense that normality can only return when  they are safe with their loved ones.

Abu Abdullah told MEE that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is "catastrophic" and that the winter has exacerbated terrible conditions.

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"Everyone just wants to go back to their homes and loved ones," he said.

The effects of harsh weather conditions on Palestinians in Gaza have been compounded by the lack of humanitarian aid, forced displacement and worsening food insecurity.

Since the war began more than a year ago, Israel has imposed a siege on Gaza, restricting the entry of essential supplies such as food, water, electricity, medicine and tents.

Figures from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) show that the entire population of Gaza, which has fallen to 2.1 million people, is undergoing extreme levels of acute food insecurity.

Abu Abdullah was cautiously optimistic that the incoming Trump administration may play a part in ending the war.

"There is pressure on Netanyahu from Arab [nations] and the new US government to make a deal," he said.

'On the brink'

Several sources close to the talks in Doha are optimistic that a ceasefire deal is close, with one senior western official telling Middle East Eye that a final draft of a ceasefire proposal is now in the hands of Israel and Hamas.

Speaking on Monday, US President Joe Biden said a ceasefire deal in Gaza was "on the brink" of being finalised.

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"In the war between Israel and Hamas, we're on the brink of a proposal that I laid out in detail months ago finally coming to fruition," Biden said in a farewell speech at the State Department.

In a sign of the seriousness of the talks, Qatar’s ruler, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, met with Hamas representatives and  envoys for the incoming and outgoing US administrations on Monday as part of a push to secure the deal.

The Hamas delegation is headed by Khalil al-Hayya while American delegates include Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, and Brett McGurk, Biden's envoy for the region.

The head of Egypt's general intelligence agency, Hassan Mahmoud Rashad, was also in Doha but left behind an Egyptian delegation.

The US and several others have said a ceasefire has been close before, only for the talks to collapse, but confidence has never been as high according to numerous reports.

Qatar's foreign ministry spokesman Majed bin Mohammed al-Ansari provided a detailed update on the negotiations on Tuesday, highlighting progress while urging a resolution to end the ongoing humanitarian crisis. 

However, the western official familiar with the talks told MEE that the permanence of the ceasefire and governance of any violations remain key issues.

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