GAZANS TOOK TO THE STREETS TO CELEBRATE A CEASE-FIRE. THEN THE ISRAELI ARMY ENTERED RAFAH

Gazans Took to the Streets to Celebrate a Cease-fire. Then the Israeli Army Entered Rafah

Before the Israeli army's operations in southern Gaza, Palestinians greeted Hamas' statement that the group accepted a cease-fire deal with cheering, bonfires and hopes for a lasting truce

May 08th, 21PM May 08th, 21PM

As negotiations over a cease-fire and hostage release deal progressed last week, the announcement from the office of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on Monday that the organization had accepted the proposed outline reverberated across the region.

It was swiftly disseminated by news channels and managed to stir palpable anticipation among Palestinians in Gaza. For them, the prospect of a cease-fire represents more than just a respite from the onslaught of bombardment.

The news came in the wake of the Israeli army's order to evacuate eastern neighborhoods of the city of Rafah, a step widely seen as a prelude to Israel's long-awaited offensive there. The city in southern Gaza is populated by some 1.2 million Palestinians, most of whom have been displaced.

Overnight into Tuesday, the Israeli army took control of the Rafah crossing which connects Gaza and Egypt, closing it to humanitarian aid, and began operating in the city's east.

Haniyeh's statement on Monday was met with a range of emotions among Gazans, from hope and relief to apprehension and doubt. Videos circulating online vividly captured scenes of spontaneous celebration unfolding in the Gaza Strip.

One featured a young boy named Abod Almajaida, whose smile lit up the screen. "Do you hear the people? They're cheering and whistling!" he exclaims, as sounds of celebration echoed behind him. "Oh God, let a truce happen," he added before breaking into a dance.

Other videos showed dozens of Palestinians gathered around a bonfire near the Al-Kuwaiti hospital in Gaza, chanting excitedly, "Belief triumphs over all" and "Allahu Akbar."

But their joy wasn't shared by everyone, and other Palestinians in the region expressed guarded optimism or even outright skepticism at the prospect of an end to the war. Kholoud Wael, daughter of prominent Al Jazeera correspondent Wael Al Dahdouh, who has lost family members in the war, took to Instagram to share her candid thoughts.

"A ceasefire, really?" she asked incredulously. "How many thoughts are swirling through our hearts and minds right now... The notion that we might return and rebuild Gaza... it's a strange feeling, a jumble of confusion and emotions dependent on one condition - the cease-fire. But it's alright, everything will gradually ease once the war ceases... Oh God, I hope the news holds true," she said.

Ahmed Jomaa, a young man residing in the southern Gaza Strip, tempered his emotions at the news. Despite the celebrations unfolding around him, he urged restraint in a video on Instagram, saying "Hamas has agreed to the Egyptian proposal and talk of a truce is circulating, but we have yet to see an actual cease-fire." He addressed the celebrants, saying, "Let's not exaggerate with celebrations since nothing has been finalized yet."

Another young man, Abod, from northern Gaza, implored Gazans to maintain hope, saying on Instagram, "No one bothers me more than a pessimist. I'm 104 percent optimistic. Why lose hope? The first and second world wars ceased, and so will this.

"Why succumb to hopelessness now?" he asked. "We endured [the war] for seven months without losing hope, so why falter now? Even if this war were to drag on for another two years, we will stand undefeated."

On Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that "Hamas' proposal was intended to disrupt the entry of our forces into Rafah. This did not happen."

The Hamas-run health ministry said Israeli strikes in Rafah had killed 26 people on Monday.

2024-05-08T18:32:28Z dg43tfdfdgfd