After the most serious round of fighting in a little more than a year, the news of a truce between Israel and the Islamic Jihad was bittersweet for many in Gaza.
Others laid their loved ones to rest as families aired laundry on destroyed walls and combed through the debris to salvage any documents and furniture they could find.
Najwa Abu Hamada, 45, whose 19-year-old son Khalil was killed when he went outside into the street and a car was hit, said, ‘My life ended when he was martyred.’ After 12 years of marriage and five failed IVF attempts, she gave birth to her one and only child.
In the 56 hours of violence that started on Friday after Israeli airstrikes hit a senior commander of the militant Islamic Jihad movement, at least 44 people, including 15 children, died. According to Gaza health officials, more than 360 people were hurt during the raids that went on all weekend, including 151 kids and teenagers.
Targeting Islamic Jihad commanders and arms depots, Israel claimed it launched the airstrikes as a preventative measure against an impending attack by the movement, which is supported by Iran. It also claimed it did everything it could to minimise civilian casualties.
In retaliation, Islamic Jihad launched over 1,000 rockets at Israel, forcing citizens of Tel Aviv and other major cities in the south and centre to seek shelter in bomb shelters.
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