
Many spoke of their fear that their hopes of a new beginning after a 15-month conflict might be dashed. The war has killed many tens of thousands in the territory and reduced swaths to ruins.
"So far, the news is tense about the deal... so we follow the news 24 hours a day. The deal's failure is possible, because the Israelis do not want Gaza and its people to rest and breathe," said Muhammad al-Hebbil, 37, who was displaced early in the war from his home in the northern town of Beit Lahiya to Gaza City.
The agreement announced by Qatar on Wednesday followed months of fruitless negotiations and, if finalised, would pause hostilities one day before the inauguration of Donald Trump on Monday.
Reports that Israel had accused Hamas of reneging on parts of the deal, and that the Israeli cabinet had not yet met to ratify the agreement increased concerns yesterday. "Now everyone wishes to go to sleep and wake up on Sunday, when the fighting has stopped. The waiting is very difficult," Hebbil said.
Palestinians in Gaza reported heavy Israeli bombardment. In previous conflicts in the territory, both sides have stepped up military operations in the final hours before ceasefires as a way to project strength and inflict last-minute losses on their enemy.
Hebbil, who is living in a tent inside the Yarmouk sport stadium in Gaza City, said he had witnessed the aftermath of one attack, describing "a very difficult and painful sight".
This story is from the January 17, 2025 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the January 17, 2025 edition of The Guardian.
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