No Sanctuary, No Salvation: Gaza’s Return to Ruins

A Gazan family gathers around a crowded table for iftar, the fast-breaking meal for Muslims. The month has started under a stalemate of the fragile ceasefire agreement and amidst a humanitarian pause. Source: ABC News

The Islamic month of Ramadan is one that is traditionally marked by festivity, spiritual unity, and holiness for nearly 2 billion Muslims. However, for the 600,000 Palestinians returning to Northern Gaza, the vibrant laughter and contagious joy felt through eagerly breaking fasts and faithful practices have been drowned out by devastation and despair. 

This comes after the first phase of the January ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas coming to an end. The phase is part of a three-stage deal that would, in practice, end military escalations and allow Gaza to rebuild. Stage one consists of a 42-day humanitarian pause during an exchange of Israeli and Palestinian hostages, the Israeli Defense Forces leaving populated areas of Gaza, and a return of Palestinians to North Gaza. The second stage, which would also last 42 days, would involve a permanent ceasefire, increased hostage exchanges, and a complete withdrawal of the IDF from the strip. The third and final stage has vague implications, with the main conditions being the acquisition of dead bodies of Israeli hostages and a full reconstruction plan of Gaza. 

With the opening phase of the January ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas now over, many Gazans now face uncertain futures masked by promises of peace. Despite returning to their homes and seeking some semblance of a return to normalcy, living conditions in the Northern region of Gaza remain dire. 

“There’s no husband, no home, no proper food and no proper life,” says Fatima Al-Absi, a 58-year-old grandmother who returned to Gaza during the temporary ceasefire. Despite being home, she describes the humanitarian crisis in the region as irreparable. Having lost her husband and son-in-law to Israel’s relentless siege, she now watches the first sunset of Ramadan with the unshakeable feeling of despair. Despite her attempts to eke out a living, doing so remains nigh-on impossible with her home and local mosque reduced to rubble. 

This raises the urgent question; what can be offered to a people who have lost everything?

Without infrastructure, family, or food, the path facing the Gaza Strip is still a dark one, marked with concerningly familiar obstacles to peace. The humanitarian situation is exacerbated by Israel’s continued aggression— even during the ceasefire, Israeli forces have killed over a hundred Palestinians. Now, with the far-right Israeli government signaling an intent to continue military operations in the region, the prospect of long-term stability looks increasingly bleak. 

Earlier this month, Israel, in cooperation with the United States, halted all aid to the Gaza Strip once more, marking a harbinger of further economic and civil unrest in the region as strikes on civilian centers have resumed. The move has garnered widespread criticism for its violations of international law, notably from the United Nations, various Arab states, and humanitarian organizations. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stipulated that aid would only be allowed back if the first stage of the ceasefire is extended, and if the remaining Israeli hostages are returned. The glaring issue is that the first stage of the ceasefire is meant to be a temporary one; in this phase, violence between Israel and Hamas is to be halted only while Israeli and Palestinian hostages are exchanged. The initial agreement constituted 33 Israeli hostages to be released by Hamas in exchange for more than 700 Palestinian prisoners but Netanyahu has since demanded for additional releases not outlined in the agreement. With this uncooperative stalemate and the first phase’s expiration, Hamas has since rejected Netanyahu’s offer, emphasizing the need to move forward with the rest of the deal as initially promised. 

“There are Israeli jets and drones hovering in the sky,” noted Al-Jazeera’s Hind Khoudary, “Palestinians feel that at any minute, Israeli forces can target any place across the Gaza Strip.” 

Hamas’ hope of advancing the ceasefire deal underscores the pressing need for more lasting change in the region. The subsequent phases of the deal require a permanent ceasefire and a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza - steps that are crucial to ensure not only Palestinian sovereignty, but also to stabilize the region further. 

It’s imperative that the Israeli government follows those steps initially agreed upon, as the later ceasefire stages address the necessity for de-escalation and grant the Palestinians increased independence. Additionally, such adherence and its benefits towards Gaza would serve as overarching prevention for future conflict. The brutalization and demonization of Palestinians must end, and even if the Trump administration will not act accordingly, it falls upon world leaders and the international community to do so. The tireless efforts of relief groups such as UNICEF, OCHA, and UNRWA must be supported and upheld, not met with unfounded terrorism accusations. 

Regardless of what occurs in the coming months, one reality will remain unchanged; hundreds of thousands of Gazans will continue to gather around tables to break their fasts, pray where their demolished mosques used to stand, and live their lives amidst the ruin. The fallout of the war must be focused on supporting aid and breaking the pattern of dehumanization that has obstructed any significant progress in the past fifteen months. The truth is, Al-Absi’s story is not unique–it is a shared one emblematic of the collective yearning for stability. 

“We don’t want war,” she pleads. “We want peace and safety.”