Temporary Ceasefire Grants Gaza Respite – Exposes Extent of Destruction

As bulldozers cleared the remains of the southern Gaza town of Al Qarara on Sunday morning, a group of people watched anxiously, hoping that the truce between Hamas and Israel would provide enough time to recover the bodies of their loved ones from beneath the rubble.

After enduring nearly seven weeks of struggle, the people of the Gaza Strip can at last find peace in their burial. Throughout this time, their main priority has been survival, with shelter, escape from conflict, and access to essentials like food and water taking precedence.

Gazans have finally found a moment of respite from the fighting, allowing them to assess the widespread destruction in their surroundings. In the southern Khan Younis governorate, the town of Al Qarara has experienced a significant rise in building damage over the last two weeks, as revealed by radar satellite data analysis.

Amid a temporary truce between Israel and Hamas, residential buildings in southern Gaza City lie in ruin after being destroyed in Israeli strikes during the conflict on November 26, 2023.

Thousands of people in Deir El Balah, a city in central Gaza, were seen in CNN footage flocking to the streets and market to purchase supplies that had been unavailable for weeks, but were now accessible, at least for the time being. The footage was captured by Bassam Masoud of Reuters.

Interviewed at the market by CNN, Deir El Balah residents expressed their relief at the ceasefire. One woman, known as Um Ihab, described how Sunday marked the first time in a while that she felt safe enough to go out with her family. "We were always scared of being hit by rockets and airstrikes, but since the ceasefire, we have been able to venture out and buy what we need without fear," she said. "For 47 days, we lived in constant fear and war. Our children were terrified."

Um Mohammad, another resident, informed CNN that prices have surged amidst the war. "Everything has become extremely costly, unlike before the war," she remarked, also expressing gratitude that they can find safety in their current situation.

For the past seven weeks, the market had been empty, with shops closed and people staying indoors. However, on Sunday, the market was bustling with activity as shoppers rushed to stock up and children played among the vegetable stalls, while garbage piled up on the streets. "We hope for a permanent ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the north, so those who were displaced can return home, even if it means living in tents," said Abu Udai, a local resident, to CNN.

Trucks carrying humanitarian aid enter southern Gaza through the Rafah crossing on November 25, 2023.

The truce in Gaza has brought heartache to many as they are now able to see the full extent of the devastation for the first time. Entire neighborhoods have been flattened and thousands of people have lost their lives during the weeks of fighting.(Photo credit: Mohammed Abed/AFP/Getty Images)

There are 2 million people residing in Gaza, with 1.7 million being internally displaced, as reported by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).

The most critical situation is in the northern areas of Gaza, where some civilians have defied repeated orders from the Israel Defense Forces to relocate to the southern part of the Gaza Strip.

The truce agreement now permits more humanitarian aid to enter Gaza. The United Nations reported that on Saturday, 61 trucks transported food, water, and emergency medical supplies to northern Gaza. This was the largest delivery to reach the north since October 7, but it was still insufficient to address the needs of the people.

Hamas warned on Saturday night that the truce agreement could be at risk if an adequate number of trucks did not reach northern Gaza, where the needs are most urgent. The conflict over the quantity of humanitarian aid entering Gaza led to a brief postponement of the planned release of a group of hostages held by Hamas on Saturday.

On Sunday, UNRWA stated that the amount of aid reaching the Gaza Strip continued to be entirely insufficient.

Adnan Abu Hasna, media adviser for UNRWA, stated that at least 200 aid trucks per day are needed for a continuous period of two months to meet the current needs. In addition, there is a need for even more fuel to support the various services and sectors that aid supports, such as water desalination, sewage, hospitals, bakeries, and UNRWA services and communications. The current level of aid entering the region is not sufficient to address the vast humanitarian needs. Before the war, approximately 455 aid trucks entered Gaza on a daily basis, as reported by the United Nations.

The humanitarian situation in northern Gaza is extremely perilous, with a severe shortage of drinking water and food. Our aid shipments are crucial in addressing this urgent need. Today, we are dispatching convoys to both Gaza City and northern Gaza. The humanitarian crisis extends to southern Gaza as well," he emphasized.

Reporting contributed by CNN's Ibrahim Dahman and Sarah El Sirgany in Cairo.