Deir el-Balah, Gaza, Palestine – The assassination of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar came as a shock to displaced people in Gaza, who have suffered a devastating war for more than a year.
Some wonder whether Sinwar’s death marks the end of the war and a ceasefire. Others have little hope.
In the makeshift displacement camps of Deir el-Balah in central Gaza, those deeply affected by the war spoke to Tel Aviv Tribune.
“We have been abandoned”
Rahma al-Sakani, 35, mother of two displaced girls from Shujayea, a suburb of Gaza City, was saddened and shocked by the news.
“I felt like we had been abandoned in the middle of this war,” she said as she fed her two daughters a meager meal in a displaced persons camp.
A little girl from the neighboring tent came and al-Sakani shared with her what little they had.
“Sinwar was leading the war and negotiating to end it, so we could return home to the north. Now that he’s gone, we don’t know what will happen.
Al-Sakani lost her husband in a bombing two months ago, as well as her parents and two brothers in northern Gaza in November.
Despite the heavy toll the war has taken on him, al-Sakani maintains a glimmer of hope.
“I fear this war will not last much longer, but I remain optimistic that other countries will mediate to end the fighting. »
“Israel used Sinwar and Hamas as an excuse”
Ibrahim Rushdi, 33, a father of three displaced children from Jabalia in northern Gaza, is grappling with deep sadness after Sinwar’s killing.
“It was a shock to me,” he said. “Yes, it was planned during this war, but we hoped that the hands of the Israeli occupation would not reach it.”
Rushdi does not believe that Sinwar’s death will lead to peace.
“Israel used Sinwar and Hamas as a pretext to carry out its plans of displacement and destruction, where most of the victims were innocent civilians,” he explained.
“Israel does not want anyone to raise arms against it or demand the liberation of its land. They targeted all our leaders – Ismail Haniyeh, Ahmed Yassin, (Saleh) al-Arouri – and the list goes on,” he added.
But he added: “Targeting the leaders will not stop the resistance. »
“Death on the battlefield”
Saleh al-Shanat, 67, a displaced resident of Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza, said: “We are sad every time Israel achieves a victory by targeting a Palestinian. »
“Sinwar fought this war alone and was killed alone. Seeing him die on the battlefield reminds us of our own situation – abandoned by both allies and foreigners,” he added.
“Israel has had travel plans for years. They will not stop the war for this reason. The massacres, destruction and forced emptying of northern Gaza will continue.
“This is an organized Israeli plan, and it will not stop with the killing of Sinwar or any other leader. »
“Things are only getting worse”
Aya Abd Rabbo, 40, was not a fan of Sinwar or Hamas.
But after seeing how he died, the mother of seven displaced children from Shujayea changed her mind.
“I used to blame Sinwar for what was happening, wondering why he was hiding in the tunnels while we were suffering death and displacement,” Abd Rabbo said.
“After seeing his last moment of fighting, alone, I realized we were wrong. He was on the front line, dressed in a military uniform, and Israel attempted to target him both morally and physically. »
Like many, Abd Rabbo, who has been displaced several times, does not have much hope that the war will end.
“At first I was optimistic and thought that Sinwar’s death meant that the war would soon be over. But after hearing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech the same day, in which he hinted at more plans and goals, I lost hope again.
“Netanyahu’s appetite for war continues to grow, and we are its victims. My family and I live in a small tent and as winter approaches, the conditions are unbearable,” she added.
“Things are only getting worse. Enough is enough.
“I will never forgive him”
Khaled Abu Nasser, 77, displaced from al-Mughraqa, outside Gaza City, said he was relieved that Sinwar had been killed.
“Sinwar and Hamas are the reason for our displacement, our losses and our devastation,” said the father of 11 and grandfather of more than 40 children.
Abu Nasser believes that Sinwar’s actions, particularly the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel, triggered a “war disaster” that devastated their lives.
He lost his 27-year-old son and his 55-year-old wife in the bombing of a school in Deir el-Balah transformed into a shelter for displaced people.
“We lived in peace, but Sinwar’s decision destroyed us all. I will never forgive him and I am relieved that he is gone.
Sinwar, he said, gave Israel a “golden opportunity” to justify its war on Gaza.
“It is true that Israel has not stopped its crimes against us in recent years, but Hamas, led by Sinwar, has given them an excellent justification to attack us and destroy our lives.”
However, he remains optimistic that Sinwar’s death will mark the beginning of the end of the war.
“I think the war is coming to an end now that Israel has achieved its main objectives. All I hope is that we can return to our homes in northern Gaza to rebuild our lives.
“We are exhausted,” he said.
“They won’t stop until they kill us all”
Nada al-Samouni, 30, mother of seven and expecting her eighth child, is sad but maintains a fragile hope that Sinwar’s killing could end the war.
“Sinwar’s murder was expected. His fate was no different from that of other Palestinians killed in this war,” al-Samouni said.
“Israel had long sworn to reach Sinwar, and now they have achieved their goal. It is time for the war to end.
“We are exhausted. We lost our homes, our lives,” said al-Samouni, displaced from Gaza City.
Her baby is due at the end of October and she particularly wants a ceasefire.
“I don’t want to give birth while the war is still raging. I want my child to be born in peace and for us to be able to return home.
Despite these hopes, al-Samouni fears that Israel is far from finished.
“They won’t stop until they kill us all,” she said.
“Our lives have become nothing but death, destruction and unbearable physical and emotional suffering. Nobody cares,” she added.
