Gaza Residents to N12: "Everyone is Desperate, They Are Playing With Us"

For months, residents of the Gaza Strip have been hearing about initiatives and promises to end the fighting. Now, as the Peace Council's outline places the issue of disarming Hamas at the center, they find it hard to believe that this time it will end differently.

In conversations with N12, they speak today, Tuesday, about deep despair, the desire to see real change, and the feeling that civilians continue to pay the price while the sides are far from agreeing on the "day after."

"In general, the residents of Gaza see everything that is happening without any result and without any side truly fulfilling its commitments. Instead of protecting the people in the Strip and helping them, the situation is difficult," says M., a Gaza resident, to N12. "We just want to get rid of this nightmare that has been going on for three years."

Behind the hope for an agreement, many in Gaza doubt that Hamas will agree to disarm. "One day they talk about disarmament, the next day a new concept enters," M. continues. "The residents of Gaza see that both sides, Hamas and Israel, are frankly playing with them. Both the right-wing government in Israel and Hamas do not want to reach a situation where the suffering of the civilians in Gaza ends."

A., a resident of the Strip, believes the problem is not just the outline, but the lack of trust that Hamas will abide by it. "We know and believe that Hamas is lying and evading, and it has maneuvers," she accuses. "It is trying to evade the agreement and distance itself from it."

Regarding the activities of the IDF, she welcomes them as long as they concern Hamas terrorists: "We also notice that there are eliminations of Hamas members. And we know that the eliminations are very accurate. Everyone the army eliminates is truly a Hamas member. As long as innocent people are not killed, the eliminations are very accurate and smart."

On the other hand, Gazan commentator Ibrahim al-Madhoun, who is identified with Hamas, claims that the outline opens a door to ending the war and presents the issue of weapons as a Palestinian arrangement rather than handing them over to Israel. According to him, the issue should be handled gradually and reciprocally, as part of ending the war and the Israeli withdrawal.

At the same time, he points an accusing finger at Benjamin Netanyahu and claims that he continues to maneuver and try to evade the agreement's commitments. Along with this, he calls for seizing the opportunity to bring about an end to the war, the reconstruction of Gaza, and opening a new page.

According to M., behind all the outlines and declarations hides a reality that has not really changed. "The situation in Gaza is total despair. Everyone is desperate, honestly. There are agreements here and agreements there, and in the end, there is nothing on the ground. Since the Sharm el-Sheikh agreement last October until today, the only improvement people feel is that more goods are entering. Beyond that, they are still living in tents, the situation is still chaotic, and Hamas is still suppressing its opponents. The situation is very difficult," he emphasizes.

A. expresses hope that international pressure will lead to change, but also fears that political considerations will delay the move. "We think that Hamas must hand over the weapons, and then Israel will withdraw behind the yellow line," she clarifies. "The basis for everything is the weapons. We hope that greater pressure will be exerted on Hamas to surrender, hand over all the weapons, and even leave Gaza and go to Turkey or simply get out of Gaza."

"We really want someone else to manage Gaza," she says. "But honestly, we are afraid that Benjamin Netanyahu, too, because of the elections, will continue to stall for time. We don't know, but we hope that things will be resolved."