Since the beginning of the war hundreds of thousands of people in Gaza have had to flee their homes. Many were repeatedly displaced. Then, finally last month, with the announcement of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came the chance to return. A chance to see what has remained of their homes, neighbourhoods and communities.
Widyan Shaat, an aid worker and a single mother of three, was displaced to the south of Gaza and was unable to return to her home in the north until Israel opened military checkpoints after the ceasefire agreement. She tells the Today in Focus producer Alex Atack about her journey, and her happiness at finding her badly damaged house still standing: “It healed me, somehow.”
Michael Safi hears from 22-year-old student Ameer Hasanain who recalls the joy of homecoming. “My mom just ran down the streets when she found our house standing, still, and started literally kissing the door. I was so happy.” Yet after months of war Hasanain is terrified the conflict could return and his home could be destroyed “in the blink of an eye”. He explains how his homecoming has reminded him of all the people he has lost and not had time to mourn, and how his own life will never be the same.
