Khan Younis – AFP

In the hours before dawn on Thursday, Palestinian youths gathered outside Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, singing and dancing to patriotic songs, celebrating the agreement that ended two years of war in their besieged and devastated Gaza Strip.

One footage showed youths lifting a journalist wearing a press vest, conducting an interview holding a microphone. Abdel Majid Abd Rabbo, present in Khan Younis, said: “Thank God for the ceasefire, and the stopping of the bloodshed and killing.”

He added: “I am not the only one happy, all of Gaza is happy, all the Arab people and the whole world are happy with the ceasefire.” The young man, wearing a black shirt, added: “All thanks and love to those who stood with us and contributed to stopping the bloodshed.”

Happy

Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire agreement on Thursday under intense pressure from US President Donald Trump, marking a key step towards ending a two-year war that left tens of thousands dead and caused massive destruction.

The agreement includes the release of hostages held in Gaza in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons, and the entry of humanitarian aid into the Strip.

However, Israel continued its strikes, with smoke columns seen rising over Gaza’s sky. The civil defense reported four casualties from Israeli strikes on Thursday.

Despite ongoing strikes, children expressed hope to return to school.

Layan Masoud (9 years old), displaced with her family from northern Gaza to Khan Younis outskirts, said: “The first thing I woke up to in the morning, my mom said the war stopped and there is a truce, I laughed and cried.” She added: “I went to the tent to tell my friends that there is a truce.”

Rami Nofal (22 years old) hopes people can return to normal life. He said: “We will rebuild schools and universities. The children around us have seen things no other children in the world have seen.”

Ayman Al-Najjar expressed his happiness with the agreement, despite losing his grandfather a week ago. He said: “Despite the wounds and the genocide we faced, and losing loved ones and relatives, we are happy and our joy is great because of the ceasefire.”

“A New Birth”

The Israeli war on Gaza has resulted in the deaths of at least 67,194 Palestinians, according to the latest figures from the Gaza Ministry of Health, which the United Nations considers reliable. The ceasefire agreement follows a 20-point plan announced by Trump.

Trump said: “I think the hostages will return on Monday.” He indicated that the United States will contribute to rebuilding Gaza and ensuring its security and stability.

Wael Radwan said: “This is something joyful, and we thank anyone who contributed even by words to stopping this war and the bloodshed.”

In the Maghazi camp in central Gaza, Khaled Al-Namnam, a displaced person from Al-Nasr neighborhood in Gaza City, said he did not expect the war to end.

He recounted: “Suddenly I woke up in the morning to very good news. A strange indescribable feeling after two years of bombing, fear, and hunger.”

He added: “We felt we were born again.”