Palestinians Embrace Hope Amid Grief as Ceasefire Deal is Celebrated

Wed Oct 22 2025 01:38:35 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

After years of conflict, news of a ceasefire and hostage release agreement brings mixed feelings of joy and sorrow to Palestinians, who grapple with immense loss and the future.

Palestinians have expressed both joy and deep sorrow following the announcement of a ceasefire and hostage release deal. While many celebrated the truce, the pain of loss remained poignant as families remembered those they have lost during the years of conflict. Amid the devastation, there is hope for peace and a chance to heal.

Palestinians in Gaza have celebrated the agreement of a ceasefire and hostage release deal - but many fear confronting the grief that has built up over two years of war.

This morning, when we heard the news about the truce, it brought both joy and pain, 38-year-old Umm Hassan, who lost his 16-year-old son during the war, told the BBC.

Out of joy, both the young and the old began shouting. And those who had lost loved ones started remembering them and wondering how we would return home without them, he noted. Every person who lost someone feels that sorrow deeply and wonders how they'll return home.\

The agreement, announced by US President Donald Trump, proposes the release of 20 living hostages and the bodies of 28 deceased hostages in exchange for 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences in Israeli jails and 1,700 detainees from Gaza. It serves as the first phase of a comprehensive peace plan aimed at halting two years of relentless conflict.

Many civilians voiced their profound suffering. Daniel Abu Tabeekh, from Jabalia refugee camp, shared his grief: The factions don't feel our pain. Those leaders sitting comfortably abroad have no sense of the suffering we're enduring here in Gaza. I have no home; I've been living on the streets for a year and a half.

Since the onset of the war following Hamas' attacks on October 7, 2023, approximately 67,000 Palestinians have died. The war has disrupted countless lives and left the infrastructure in shambles, with over 90% of Gaza's housing damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Although the ceasefire brings a glimmer of hope, many question the ability to simply move on from the horrors experienced. People like Umm Nader Kloub, who lost seven relatives, reflected on the mixed emotions of gratitude for the end of fighting and profound sorrow for the lost.

As negotiations continue toward a more lasting peace, the grieving process for those affected will take time. Husam Zomlot from the Palestinian mission remarked on the terrible burden placed upon families during the conflict: After the event, the main feeling will be grief, mourning, and a deep sense of loss. Because what we've lost is huge.