Gaza Ceasefire: "I felt both happy and sad. I can't describe the feeling."

Amal Ghazawi – Head of the MSF Paris Operations Center office

I felt happy and sad. I can't describe the feeling. It was very, very difficult.

All the time I was crying. We were afraid of any fire shooting. The happiness was overwhelming because the situation is very, very difficult.

I can't describe the feeling. I remember how I wanted to see my daughter. You know how my daughter Noor.

I want to see her. She is pregnant. I want to see her.

I want to visit my brother’s grave. I see my house which was bombed for the second time by the army. You see, I have no hope for a house now.

The suffering is not over. A new war is about to start, when we go back to the north.

I don't have a home, and I don't have a place to stay. None of my family has a house, a standing house for us to shelter in."

Mohammad Wadi - MSF Deputy Medical Coordinator in Gaza

When the truce begins in Gaza, I experience a mix of emotion, hope, relief, and lingering anxiety.

I feel hopeful that the truce offers a chance to pause the violence and start the recovery process. For the people who lost everything, let's provide a brief moment to catch our breath and reflect.

However, this cautious optimism tempers the concern about the fragility of the truce and the uncertainty of what might come next. While there is hope for stability, there is also a constant awareness that things could change quickly. In addition, the families in Gaza start planning to rebuild their lives, both materially and emotionally, despite the unstable situation.

Also, there is hope for improving humanitarian and economic conditions, especially if the truce lasts for an extended period.

Finally, the truth sparks mixed feelings, and hope remains for it to mark the end of violence, but fear of an uncertain future is lingering in everyone's minds.

And for me personally, I have hope to get my family outside of Gaza, and especially for my [sick ]son to get his treatment outside of Gaza."