Nuseirat refugee camp, Gaza Strip, Palestine – At al-Nuwairi Hill, the closest level in Nuseirat to the al-Rashid coastal street, Ansaf Khadra sits on the bottom along with her household for the second consecutive day, ready to be allowed to return to her residence, or no matter is left of it, in northern Gaza.
Ansaf, a mom of 4, was one among 1000’s of displaced folks in southern Gaza who instantly headed for al-Rashid on Sunday after the discharge of 4 Israeli captives as a part of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal the day earlier than.
The plan was to move to al-Rashid and attempt to get via Israel’s Netzarim checkpoint, then, past that, to Gaza’s north.
“I’ve been right here since early morning with my husband and kids,” Ansaf informed Al Jazeera as she handed out sandwiches to her youngsters sitting on the bottom.
“Final evening I ready no matter belongings we may carry and left many issues to make it simpler to stroll,” she added. “We couldn’t even wait a minute. We wish to return to our land within the north instantly.”
The ceasefire deal, which started to be carried out on January 19 with the primary trade of Israeli captives and Palestinian prisoners, was supposed to permit for the return of displaced Palestinians from southern Gaza to the north after the second exchange of captives for prisoners, which happened on Saturday.
Nevertheless, Israel forcibly blocked Palestinian civilians from approaching Netzarim on Sunday, firing on the crowds on not less than three separate events, in accordance with medical sources, and killing not less than two Palestinians, in accordance with al-Awda Hospital, the place the casualties have been acquired. At the least 9 folks, together with a baby, have been wounded.
Israel has insisted that one other feminine captive, Arbel Yehud, ought to have been launched on Saturday earlier than Palestinians have been allowed to return to their properties within the north.
The delay has left Palestinians right here pissed off. Ahmed Abu Dan puffed on the remnants of his cigarette as he sat alongside his household.
“We’ve been via a lot throughout this struggle,” the 55-year-old mentioned. “After they informed us we may return to the north, we have been overjoyed, however Israel is deliberately souring our happiness by making us wait.”
Ahmed isn’t within the technicalities of the delay. His solely concern is returning residence to Gaza Metropolis’s Shujayea neighbourhood, away from the reminiscences of 15 months of struggle and displacement.
“What’s one other day or two?” he quipped with amusing. “We’re staying right here it doesn’t matter what, till they allow us to via.”
Ahmed and his household packed up their tent as quickly because the ceasefire started, gathering their important belongings in preparation for the tough journey again north.
The household has been displaced 11 occasions for the reason that struggle started, Ahmed mentioned, explaining that his well being and psychological state had deteriorated after enduring so many months dwelling in tents. The expertise signifies that, if he does make it again to the north, he has vowed by no means to go away once more – even when the ceasefire fails and struggle breaks out once more.
“We have been pressured to flee to supposedly protected areas, solely to be focused there as effectively,” Ahmed mentioned. “I can’t wait to kiss Gaza Metropolis’s soil once more.
“I miss my family and my residence in Shujayea, even when partially destroyed. I miss my neighbourhood and every little thing there.”
What’s left?
Whereas the entire of the Gaza Strip, a coastal enclave only 41 kilometres (25 miles) long, has been bombarded by Israel throughout its struggle, the north has been notably devastated.
Israel’s far-right settler motion has even pushed for the everlasting ethnic cleansing of Palestinians and the institution of unlawful settlements within the area, the house of the enclave’s largest city space earlier than the struggle, Gaza Metropolis.
Huge swathes of northern Gaza now seem uninhabitable, however Ansaf has heard that her residence, whereas severely broken, continues to be standing.
“Based on my neighbours, just one room and a toilet in my home stay intact, however to me, that’s heaven in comparison with a life in displacement,” she mentioned with a broad smile.
“I miss my residence a lot,” Ansaf added. “We had solely lived there for 9 months earlier than the struggle began, and I hadn’t even completed furnishing it.”
Not like Ansaf, Nada Awadallah has no details about the situation of her residence in Gaza’s Metropolis’s Tal al-Hawa neighbourhood. What she does know is that the realm round her residence was a closed Israeli army zone, and was onerous to entry.
However that lack of understanding just isn’t a affirmation that her residence has been destroyed. And for Nada, that is sufficient to try to return.
“I can’t consider the day of return has lastly come,” the 65-year-old mentioned, tears welling in her eyes. “I’ll endure the exhaustion. I’ve been right here since final evening, sleeping on the road, and I’m prepared to remain till we’re allowed via.”
Nada had fled along with her household – 5 youngsters and several other grandchildren – from Tal al-Hawa early within the struggle, finally settling in a tent in southern Gaza’s al-Mawasi. And all of these relations have determined, for now, to remain the place they’re.
“There was a debate amongst us about ready longer earlier than heading again, however I couldn’t wait any longer,” Nada mentioned. “I informed them I’d crawl if I needed to. What issues is that I am going again and verify on my residence.”
Returning to the rubble
Mahmoud Mohsen, a 57-year-old father of seven, visited his daughter’s grave in central Gaza’s Deir el-Balah cemetery earlier than heading in the direction of Netzarim.
Mahmoud’s daughter, alongside along with her husband and three youngsters, have been killed in a bombing in Nuseirat in November 2023.
Initially from Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza, Mahmoud fled southwards to Rafah at first of the struggle. After a number of displacements, he finally settled in Deir el-Balah.
“All I need now could be to return to the rubble of my residence. Nothing else issues,” Mahmoud mentioned as he gazed in the direction of the checkpoint. “I’ll keep right here till I’m allowed via.”
“Simply reaching this space has introduced me again to life. I miss Gaza’s air,” Mahmoud mentioned. “Our journey through the struggle was one among hardship after hardship. Sufficient of this hell.”
