After 15 months of relentless conflict, a fragile calm has settled over Gaza as the Israel-Hamas ceasefire takes hold. Residents in the northern Gaza Strip erupted in cheers and tears Sunday as the truce began, with displaced families expressing renewed hope to rebuild their shattered lives.
\"We can finally breathe again,\" said one resident, who asked to remain anonymous. \"My children haven’t slept through the night in over a year. Now we dream of returning home.\" The agreement follows escalating international pressure and comes as humanitarian groups warn of a worsening crisis in the densely populated region.
While details of the deal remain scarce, locals are already clearing debris from bombed streets and sharing plans to replant gardens destroyed by months of strikes. Social media floods with videos of makeshift celebrations – from shared meals in rubble-strewn courtyards to children drawing peace symbols on bullet-marked walls.
Experts caution that lasting peace requires addressing root causes of the conflict, but for now, Gaza’s residents cling to this hard-won respite. 🌍🤝
