UNITED NATIONS, JAN 17 (APP/DNA):In the wake of Wednesday’s announcement of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas due to come into effect on Sunday, displaced Gazans – ground down by 15 months devastating Israeli attacks – have told UN News, the world body’s news service, that they hope an end to their suffering is in sight.
Around 90 per cent of the population across the Gaza Strip have been displaced from their homes, forced to move to avoid Israeli military operations. Many have been displaced repeatedly, some 10 times or more.
Much of Gaza is rubble, while Israeli airstrikes and military operations have damaged or destroyed around 60 per cent of buildings, including homes, schools and hospitals. The relentless bombing campaign has pushed healthcare to the brink, the solid waste system has collapsed, causing serious environmental and health risks, and the water system has been drastically cut.
UN News’s correspondent in Gaza spoke to displaced civilians sheltering in Nuseirat, central Gaza, who are hoping to return to what is left of their homes and rebuild their lives.
Even if a halt in the hostilities allows Gazans to return home, and for the Strip to be rebuilt, the mental suffering will continue, according to Mohammed al-Quqa, who was displaced from al-Shati refugee camp west of Gaza City.
“The greatest suffering will be the psychological situation. The war has been long, and our families, our children, have witnessed things they should never have seen.”
If the ceasefire agreement comes into effect on Sunday, there is widespread anticipation that aid coming into the Strip will significantly increase – in line with the reported terms of the deal.
Throughout the conflict, humanitarian convoys containing desperately needed supplies have repeatedly been delayed or denied entry at Israeli military checkpoints (in December, 70 per cent of coordinated aid missions were denied).
On Thursday, The World Food Programme (WFP) announced that it has 80,000 tons of food is waiting outside Gaza or on its way in, enough to feed more than one million people.
However, the UN agency also underscored the importance of humanitarian teams and supplies enjoying unrestricted movement to reach those in need.
The healthcare system in Gaza has been shattered as a result of persistent Israeli bombardments, and more than 12,000 people are awaiting medical evacuation.
On Wednesday the World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners succeeded in evacuating 12 patients to hospitals in Europe, but the agency is calling for many more countries to receive specialized treatment, as and when the ceasefire takes hold.
Aid workers have been operating under perilous conditions: almost 900 have reportedly been killed since October 2023, including 265 staff from the UN refugee agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA.
Despite the risks, more than 1,000 UNRWA workers – the vast majority of them local staff – continue to operate health centres, temporary clinics and medical points across Gaza, providing more than 16,000 health consultations per day.
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