Peace celebrations in Gaza marred by daunting rebuilding phase to come

(NewsNation) — Fadel Mghari, a freelance Gaza-based photojournalist, told NewsNation that while there is celebration that the “killing will stop,” there is also “great caution” that Gaza’s future is mired with more hardship ahead.

Mghari captured people celebrating in the streets after a U.S.-backed ceasefire agreement was reached between Israel and Palestine on Wednesday.

Mghari says it is a good thing the killing is expected to cease, but Gaza residents’ homes and entire cities have been reduced to rubble. 

“Citizens receive the news with great caution. There are simple and few manifestations of joy mixed with some pain on those we lost, and what we lost from a great loss in all walks of life, from homes, schools, streets and hospitals. Mghari said.

Israel declared war after Hamas’ terror attack on October 7, 2023, that killed around 1,200 Israelis and took over 200 more as hostages.

According to Gaza health officials, over 60,000 Palestinians have been killed in the fighting, and at least half are believed to be women and children. 

For many who’ve lost loved ones, the constant fear of imminent death is now replaced with grief.

Mghari has captured devastating images of mothers mourning their dead babies, young boys bloodied and dismembered while playing soccer from a missile strike, and children kissing their lifeless parents goodbye, since the start of the war two years ago.

On the heels of the peace deal announcement, Mghari photographed citizens in the Nuseirat camp in the central Gaza Strip waving Palestinian flags and holding a key, which he said is “the symbol of the right of return for displaced Palestinians from their homes and places.”

Photo credit: Fadel Mghari. In the Nuseirat camp in the central Gaza Strip celebrate the ceasefire agreement.

Palestinians celebrate ceasefire

The 34-year-old photojournalist shared an image of Ahmed Abu Armaneh in a wheelchair, who lost both of his feet due to a bombing.

Credit: Fadel Mghari

"He did not lose hope that the war would end, and that he would recover a small part of his life, return to the place of his destroyed house, erect a tent on it, achieve his dream of treatment, travel and installation of artificial limbs,” Mghari recounted.

Gaza still in need of clean drinking water and other basic necessities

Mghari described a difficult existence with limited food and water.  He said he is only able to access clean drinking water once a week.

"Water is a real suffering in drinking and washing water, and also suffering in electricity for two years, and greater suffering in cooking gas, and the alternative is firewood, and it has become very scarce and expensive,” Mghari explained. “Honestly, I don’t know what to say except that we are in hell.”

He shared images taken of residents waiting for water.

Credit: Fadel Mghari

Mghari is relieved the war will end, but he expressed that the future for him and other Gaza residents is filled with uncertainty.

“Things were very difficult before the war because of the siege, and there were factories and places where we work with little income, let alone today, there are no companies, restaurants, houses, streets, and everything is greatly destroyed.”

”They destroyed everything; our dreams, our homes, our streets, our schools, workplaces, entertainment, and everything. They killed our friends, our neighbors, and our relatives. We lost the most precious things we have. The possibilities (for our futures) are almost non-existent.”

Mghari said he has been living in survival mode. Now that a ceasefire has been made, it will allow him to grieve his lost loved ones, and demolished home.

“In the time of war, citizens are busy fleeing and full of fear. There is no time for sadness. When the feeling of fear stabilizes, the feeling of sadness is born.”