Gaza Herald — Despite the United States–brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, Palestinians across Gaza say their lives remain trapped between fear and ruins, as Israeli forces continue to carry out deadly strikes that shatter any hope of peace or recovery.
On Wednesday alone, more than 100 Palestinians, most of them women and children, were killed and over 250 were wounded in one of the deadliest Israeli bombardments since the truce took effect earlier this month.
Early Thursday, Israeli warplanes launched a new round of air strikes on Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip. The Israeli army claimed the attacks were in response to the killing of one of its soldiers — an accusation Hamas has denied — while insisting it was still committed to the ceasefire.
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, 211 Palestinians have been killed and 597 injured since the ceasefire began on October 10. Residents describe a climate of terror that feels indistinguishable from wartime. The buzz of drones, the rumble of tanks near the eastern fence, and the sound of explosions remain part of daily life.
“They talk about a ceasefire, but what kind of ceasefire is this?” said Mazen Shaheen, a Gaza resident. “We tried to rebuild our lives after the war, but every time we begin to breathe, Israel breaks the truce again. We live in constant fear.”
Israel’s attacks violate the terms of the Trump-brokered 20-point plan, which called for a phased truce involving the release of Israeli captives and Palestinian prisoners, followed by reconstruction and a new administrative structure for Gaza, excluding Hamas.
The war, which began in October 2023, has already killed at least 68,527 Palestinians and wounded 170,395, leaving behind a trail of grief and devastation that no ceasefire has managed to heal.
“Now, after the new bombings, people who had just begun to feel safe are once again terrified,” said Hassan Lubbad from Gaza City. “Children wake up screaming. Women cry every time they hear planes. We thought the war had ended — but it hasn’t.”
For many, the ceasefire has become an illusion — a fragile pause used by Israel to regroup and strike again. Across Gaza’s shattered neighborhoods, residents speak of despair and frustration, demanding accountability from the international community.
“Where are the international guarantees that were promised?” Shaheen asked. “Where are the countries that claimed they would ensure the truce? We want a complete end to the war — not a brief calm before the next massacre.”
Gaza’s civilians, exhausted and traumatized, continue to plead for what should be a basic right: safety, dignity, and the ability to rebuild their lives.
