DaysofPal – For a brief moment, Gaza’s weary residents believed the nightmare was over. After two years of relentless Israeli bombardment, a ceasefire brought a fragile sense of peace; children returned to play among the ruins, families began clearing debris, and whispers of rebuilding filled the air. But that fleeting calm has been shattered once more.
On Wednesday, more than 100 Palestinians, mostly women and children, were killed, and over 250 others were wounded in a new wave of Israeli airstrikes across southern Gaza. The attacks marked the deadliest breach of the ceasefire yet, reigniting fear among civilians who had begun to believe the war had finally ended.
“After the truce and the new wave of bombings, people who had just begun to feel some sense of safety, peace, and reassurance, who believed the war was finally over, are once again living in fear,” said Hassan Lubbad, a resident of Gaza City. “Especially the children and women. It’s like we’re reliving the same nightmare.”
Another resident, Suha Awad, expressed the same desperation shared by many across the enclave: “We want a complete end to the war, a total ceasefire. We want to live in safety, not for a week or two, only for things to return to aggression and war.”
The Ceasefire That Couldn’t Keep Its Promise
The U.S.-brokered ceasefire, announced on October 10 as part of a 20-point plan, was supposed to usher in a period of stability, including prisoner exchanges and steps toward rebuilding Gaza. Yet, since its implementation, Israeli forces have carried out repeated air raids, claiming retaliation for alleged attacks by Palestinian factions.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least 211 people have been killed and nearly 600 wounded since the truce took effect. On Thursday morning, Israeli warplanes again struck Khan Younis, launching ten separate attacks just hours after declaring a “resumption” of the ceasefire.
For Gaza’s 2.3 million people, the promise of calm feels increasingly hollow. “While the ceasefire might technically exist, the sounds of explosions and the hum of drones are a constant reminder of how fragile it is,” said one resident. “Peace is still out of reach.”
Where Are the Guarantees?
Many Gazans now question the international community’s commitment to ensuring the ceasefire’s success. “Where are the international guarantees that were promised?” asked Mazen Shaheen, whose friend was injured in Wednesday’s attacks. “Where are the mediating countries that pledged to make sure this truce would hold?”
Shaheen described the emotional toll of living under the illusion of peace. “We started to pick things up again during the first week after the war, trying to rebuild our lives. But before we could even catch our breath, the truce was breached again,” he said.
The psychological toll is immense. Nearly every family in Gaza has lost someone, with more than 68,000 people killed and over 170,000 wounded since the war began in October 2023. Children are growing up surrounded by rubble, trauma, and the unending sound of drones overhead.
In the streets of Gaza City, conversations return to the same haunting question: when will it happen again? The ceasefire has brought no real certainty, only a pause filled with dread.
“People talk about how uncertain they are, how concerned they are about the ceasefire’s ability to hold, and whether it can reduce the fear and trauma they’ve been living with,” said one local observer.
For many, the meaning of peace has undergone a change. It no longer means hope, rebuilding, or return, only survival.
As one resident put it simply, her voice breaking amid the echo of distant explosions, “We just want to live in safety.”
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