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Joy and celebration sweep through the war-torn Gaza Strip, with residents exclaiming, "The happiness knows no bounds." |
Ceasefire Brings Joy to Gaza After 15 Months of War
Following a much-anticipated ceasefire after 15 months of war, celebrations have erupted across Gaza. The conflict had turned much of the region into rubble.
The ceasefire took effect at 11:15 a.m. local time on Sunday. Prior to its implementation, mediators facilitated the transfer of a list of three female hostages from Hamas to Israel.
"My Joy Knows No Bounds"
Gaza resident Umm Salah told Al Jazeera, "My joy knows no bounds. As soon as the ceasefire w
as announced, I quickly started packing my belongings to return to Gaza City. My children are thrilled to reunite with family, relatives, and our land.
"We live in constant fear here. But we will be happy once we return home. Joy will return to our lives," she said.
A young Palestinian expressed similar sentiments, saying, "Everyone is happy, especially the children. I just hope that Israel does not violate the ceasefire in the coming days." He further told Al Jazeera, "Completing my education is now my only goal. Many dreams have been shattered during this genocide."
"We Survived"
Health workers and rescue teams in Gaza were also seen celebrating in the streets. Verified videos shared online and by Al Jazeera showed several civil defense teams singing and making victory signs.
Reporting from outside the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, Al Jazeera correspondent Hani Mahmoud confirmed that no violations of the ceasefire had been reported since it came into effect.
"There are no more bombs, no more warplanes, and no more drones. Now, the only sounds in the streets are celebratory gunfire and fireworks," he said.
Before the ceasefire, Israeli attacks on Sunday killed at least 19 Palestinians and injured countless others. The 15-month-long massacre has claimed approximately 47,000 lives. However, Palestinian and human rights organizations estimate the actual death toll to be much higher. On October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks in Israel resulted in at least 1,139 deaths and nearly 250 hostages.
Al Jazeera’s Hind Khoudary reported from Khan Younis that residents of the southern city of Rafah described the destruction caused by Israeli attacks as "catastrophic." "They can hardly recognize their own neighborhoods. Still, people are overjoyed. Everyone is smiling, chanting slogans. Most Palestinians are saying, 'We survived this war.'"
"Uncertainty and Anxiety"
From the hospital grounds, Al Jazeera’s Mahmoud reported that families were dismantling tents and preparing to return to the homes they had been forced to leave during the war.
"What we see here is families gathering their belongings with great anticipation. As they leave the hospital gates, their faces clearly show their excitement," he said.
Anwar, a displaced Palestinian from Khan Younis, shared his hope of returning to Rafah, despite knowing his house was destroyed. "I will go there and find a place to pitch a tent for my family of eight. I must return to my city, to where I was born," he said.
Anwar described the past few months of war as "a nightmare." "It was literally a nightmare, as if we were dreaming and then woke up again," he said. He and his family lived in temporary tents with insufficient food and water, and the prices of essential goods were "astronomically high."
Noor Saqqa, a displaced Palestinian woman from Gaza City, expressed a "mix of overwhelming emotions." Speaking from Rafah, she told Al Jazeera, "We cannot feel completely relieved—not just because of the immense pressure of the past 15 months but also because of the nature of the ceasefire itself. It is being implemented in phases rather than all at once."
Saqqa added that the phased implementation of the ceasefire and her inability to return to her home in Gaza City in the first phase had created additional psychological stress for her and others. "We are living with such uncertainty and anxiety that even this relief feels incomplete," she said.
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