Nuseirat refugee camp, Gaza band, Palestine – In Al-Nuwairi Hill, the closest point to Nuseirat on the Al-Rashid coastal road, Ansaf Khadra is sitting on the ground with his family for the second consecutive day, waiting to be authorized to return home, or all that Remain, in the north of Gaza.
Ansaf, mother of four, was one of the thousands of people displaced in southern Gaza who immediately headed for Al-Rashid on Sunday after the release of four Israeli captives as part of the ceasefire agreement- Fire of Israel-Hamas the day before.
The plan was to go to Al-Rashid and try to pass the Israel Netzarim checkpoint, then, beyond, north of Gaza.
“I have been here since early in the morning with my husband and my children,” Ansaf told Tel Aviv Tribune by distributing sandwiches to his children sitting on the ground.
“Last night, I prepared the personal effects that we could transport and left a lot to make it easier to walk,” she added. “We couldn’t even wait a minute. We want to return immediately to our lands in the North. »»
The ceasefire agreement, which began to be implemented on January 19 with the first exchange of Israeli captives and Palestinian prisoners, was supposed to allow the return of displaced Palestinians from the south of Gaza to the north after the second Exchange of captives for prisoners, who took place on Saturday.
However, Israel has forcibly prevented Palestinian civilians from approaching Netzarim on Sunday, shooting the crowd at least three separate occasions, according to medical sources, and killing at least two Palestinians, according to Al-Awda Hospital, where The losses were received. At least nine people, including a child, were injured.
Israel insisted that another captive, Arbel Yehud, should have been released on Saturday before the Palestinians were allowed to return home in the North.
The delay has left the Palestinians frustrated here. Ahmed Abu Dan inflated the remains of his cigarette when he was sitting alongside his family.
“We have experienced so much during this war,” said the 55 -year -old man. “When they told us that we could go back to the North, we were delighted, but Israel intentionally embittered our happiness by making us wait.”
Ahmed is not interested in the technical details of the delay. Her only concern is to go home to the Shujayea district of Gaza City, far from memories of 15 months of war and travel.
“What is another day or two?” He joked laughing. “We stay here whatever happens, until they let us pass.”
Ahmed and his family packed their tent from the start of the ceasefire, bringing together their essential effects in preparation for the difficult return to the north.
The family has been moved 11 times since the start of the war, said Ahmed, explaining that his health and mental state had deteriorated after having endured so many months to live in tents. Experience means that if he returns to the north, he has sworn not to leave-even if the ceasefire fails and war breaks again.
“We were forced to flee to so-called safe areas, to have been targeted,” said Ahmed. “I can’t wait to kiss the Gaza City soil again.
“I miss my loved ones and houses, even partly destroyed. I miss my neighborhood and everything there.
What is left?
While the entire Gaza Strip, a coastal enclave only 41 kilometers (25 miles) long, was bombed by Israel during his war, the North was particularly devastated.
The movement of the far -right settlers of Israel even put pressure for the permanent ethnic cleaning of the Palestinians and the creation of illegal colonies in the region, the house of the largest urban area in the enclave before the war, Gaza City .
Vast expanses of Northern Gaza now seem uninhabitable, but Ansaf heard that his house, although seriously damaged, is still standing.
“According to my neighbors, only one room and a bathroom in my house remain intact, but for me, it is paradise compared to a life of movement,” she said with a large smile.
“I miss my house so much,” added Ansaf. “We only lived there for nine months before the start of the war, and I had not even finished providing it.”
Unlike Ansaf, Nada Awadallah has no information on the condition of her house in the Tal al-Hawa district of Gaza. What she knows is that the area around her house was a closed Israeli military area and was difficult to access.
But this lack of information is not a confirmation that his house was destroyed. And for Nada, that is enough to try to come back.
“I cannot believe that the day of return has finally come,” said the 65 -year -old man, tears in his eyes. “I will endure exhaustion. I have been here since last night, sleeping in the street, and I’m ready to stay until we are allowed. “”
Nada had fled with her family-five children and several grandchildren-from Tal al-Hawa at the start of the war, finally settling in a tent in the south of Gaza Al-Mawasi. And all these family members have decided, for the moment, to stay where they are.
“There was a debate among us on the wait longer before returning, but I couldn’t wait,” said Nada. “I told them I would crawl if I should. What matters is that I go back and check at home. »»
Come back to the rubble
Mahmoud Mohsen, father of seven 57-year-old children, visited his daughter’s grave in the cemetery of Deir El-Balah de Central Gaza before heading to Netzarim.
Mahmoud’s daughter, as well as her husband and three children, were killed in a bombing in Nuseirat in November 2023.
Originally from Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza, Mahmoud fled south to Rafah at the start of the war. After several trips, he finally settled in Deir El-Balah.
“All I want now is to go back to the rubble of my house. Nothing else matters, “said Mahmoud, looking at the checkpoint. “I’m going to stay here until I am allowed to cross.”
“The simple fact of reaching this area brought me back to life. I miss the air of Gaza, ”said Mahmoud. “Our trip during the war was that of difficulties after the difficulties. Enough of this hell.