‘We lost so many’: Gaza cautiously waits for ceasefire as bombing continues

Palestinians in the Gaza Strip woke up on Thursday to renewed sounds of bombardment, adding to the unease amid the joy from the previous night's news of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. They had hoped the announcement meant an end to Israel’s 15-month war, which has resulted in over 46,700 Palestinian deaths and thousands missing. But the memories of the war will not fade quickly.

In Deir al-Balah, in central Gaza, many people displaced from other parts of the enclave have been struggling to survive, having fled their homes due to Israeli attacks or Israeli orders to evacuate or face bombardment. Many have lost their closest ones and feel lucky to be alive. But what comes next remains unknown. The destruction in Gaza is so evident, and with Israel seeming unwilling to let the territory rest, there are many pitfalls ahead.

Al Jazeera interviewed people in Deir al-Balah the day after the ceasefire announcement on Wednesday, as they waited for the implementation of the truce on Sunday. Here is what they had to say: Nahed al-Wer, a psychiatrist, whose home was destroyed at the start of the war, was displaced from Bureij refugee camp with his family. He now works at a clinic in Deir al-Balah and volunteers his time to address the psychological needs of those traumatized by the war.

“The feeling is very good. We are very happy. It feels like Eid. We hope this feeling will last forever and we will not see any more bloodshed. We hope we will not see it again and not have to live through this experience again. We have all lost loved ones. I lost my brother, my nephew, another nephew and another relative.” He continued, “I fear that in the coming days, we will see more escalation. That is the nature of Israeli politicians. Before a truce is signed or a ceasefire comes into effect, they keep trying to escalate the killing. The pace of killing is intensified. In 2014, on the last day of the war, I lost my sister and her children.”

“There is still a lot of fear that the Israeli leadership may renege on the agreement, and that the pace of killing has accelerated in the last two or three days, so I pray to God that this will not happen. After the war, there will be a large number of people who will suffer from very difficult psychological conditions – from tension, phobias, and the fear they have experienced. These conditions and psychological fatigue may even worsen and develop into diseases other than depression. These people must be treated. Just a few days ago, I had a case of an old woman whose son died. She has severe mental health problems and started psychiatric treatment to help her condition.”

Yasmin al-Helou, a mother from Shuja’iyya, a suburb of Gaza City, who was displaced to Deir al-Balah a year ago, said: “Honestly, my feelings are indescribable. It was a huge joy, I cried and I was also happy. I cried for what happened to us. It wasn't easy, and there was a lot of sadness. People's souls have been traumatized. The experience is a heavy burden and very difficult. We have lost loved ones. Some people are missing, some people were taken by the [Israeli] occupation forces, and some were martyred. In general, I am happy that the bloodshed and violence will stop, but at the same time, I am sad because we have lost many dear and precious people. But it happened, and all you can do is pray to God.”

“God willing, this truce will not collapse and that it will last. Honestly, I would prefer a ceasefire immediately because these two difficult days were worse than the past year. They want to intensify the bombing and the madness they are doing.” Mohammed al-Mudawi, who is receiving physical therapy for a spinal cord injury at al-Amal Hospital in Khan Younis, which left him paralyzed in his legs, said he was taken by Israeli forces and accused of involvement in the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attacks in southern Israel, an accusation he denies. He explained that he was detained for about a month in January 2024, during which he was beaten.

“The treatment was very bad. I developed ulcers due to medical negligence. I was not allowed to move. When they put me on my right or left side, they would not turn me over, so I developed ulcers. My hands turned blue due to the constant pressure of the handcuffs. My health deteriorated due to a lack of nutrition. They would not feed us. We were blindfolded. We didn't know what they were giving us to drink. They even cut my feet to see if I could feel them. When I started bleeding, no one dressed it. I hope that since I am disabled, I can now be referred abroad for treatment.”

“I am now optimistic and hopeful about the truce. Yesterday was the first time I laughed since the beginning of the war. The moment was beautiful, especially for my children. May God have mercy on the souls of the martyrs.” Saleh al-Ja’farawi, a 27-year-old journalist, who was displaced from northern Gaza during the war. Well-known in Gaza for his videos reporting on the war, he said he has received multiple threats from Israel for his work.

“It was a bad experience, one of the worst experiences I have ever lived through in my life. All the scenes and situations that I experienced during these 467 days will not be erased from my memory. All the situations we faced, we will never forget them. But the joy that has come today with the end of this war makes us forget – even a little – what we have been through. May God protect us in the Gaza Strip. After the war, we will return to northern Gaza, even if our homes are destroyed and nothing remains. God willing, we will rebuild them.”

“We paid a high price in this war. We lost colleagues, we lost family members, and we lost friends. We were deprived of the simplest things you can imagine. We were deprived of being with our families for 467 days. Honestly, I lived every moment in fear, especially after hearing what the Israeli occupation forces said to me. I lived every second not knowing what would happen in the next. There are two days left [until the truce], and I hope God will make it easy for us.”