Gaza's Humanitarian Crisis Deepens: Residents Struggle Amid Ceasefire and Widespread Destruction

US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has taken effect on October 10, bringing temporary relief to Gaza's population.

Palestinian Territories residents are experiencing a fragile respite from two years of conflict, yet daily life remains extraordinarily challenging amid widespread destruction across the Gaza Strip.

The scale of reconstruction required is immense, with extensive areas of the Palestinian territory demolished during Israel's military operations, and the majority of residents having been displaced at least once from their homes.

In Khan Yunis, southern Gaza, many Palestinians have received instructions from Israeli forces to relocate again, moving away from the designated Yellow Line where Israeli troops are positioned under the ceasefire agreement with Hamas.

"I am exhausted from constant displacement, completely exhausted. I would rather die, just like my son. Death seems preferable now," said Riyad Abu Anza.

AFP video footage captured Palestinians moving through devastated neighborhoods with basic possessions - buckets, brooms, and backpacks - navigating through areas reduced to rubble and makeshift tent settlements.

Umm Mohammed Muhareb, who was forced to relocate to Al-Mawasi coastal area, expressed that anxiety persists despite the reduction in active combat.

"The situation is more peaceful than before," the 45-year-old told AFP reporters.

"We no longer hear constant bombardment as we used to, but fear remains deeply embedded in our hearts, as we cannot predict when conditions might deteriorate again."

The ceasefire faced significant challenges on Sunday when Israeli forces launched multiple strikes in Gaza following the deaths of two soldiers, resulting in at least 45 Palestinian casualties according to the Hamas-administered health ministry.

Violent incidents have continued, with Nasser Hospital reporting one fatality from an Israeli drone strike in Khan Yunis on Thursday.

The Israeli military confirmed to AFP that it conducted an operation that killed a "terrorist who was approaching troops" after crossing the established yellow line boundary.

Abu Alaa Skeik from Gaza City described how his house was destroyed during the devastating conflict that began with Hamas's unprecedented October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

The 52-year-old resident explained that his family now lives in a tent beside the ruins of their former home.

"Initially, our struggle was with warfare - evading death and bombardment. Now, our struggle is with basic survival," he stated.

"We need to secure food, obtain water, rebuild our dwelling and enable our children to return to education. We are completely depleted," he added.

Abu Rafiq Zaqout, 47, from the Safatawi area in northern Gaza Strip, characterized the territory as a "disaster-stricken region."

"Debris continues to obstruct streets, and water supply remains insufficient," he noted, urging authorities to open border crossings to allow essential equipment to enter.

On Thursday, the World Health Organization reported minimal improvement in aid deliveries to Gaza since the ceasefire implementation, with no observable reduction in hunger levels.

"Conditions remain catastrophic because the incoming supplies are inadequate," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus informed reporters.

"There are no fundamental necessities for living here," said 26-year-old Ali Al-Ajrami, describing "extremely harsh conditions" in Gaza City's Sheikh Radwan neighborhood.

He identified water scarcity as the most critical problem, noting that his local marketplace had been demolished by Israeli military operations during the conflict.

Meanwhile, at a cemetery in Deir el-Balah on Wednesday, Gazans conducted burial ceremonies for 54 unidentified Palestinians whose remains were returned by Israel under the ceasefire agreement.

AFP footage documented excavators transporting dozens of white body bags before they were arranged in a long row within a sandy grave site.