Ceasefire Holds: Gazans, Israelis Struggle to Get Lives Back to Normal

Egypt Says Border Situation Will Return to Pre-War State as Well

The Gaza ceasefire has now been in place for about a day and a half, and the situation is more or less stable, with no indications that either side is liable to quickly return to fighting with the other, leaving the civilian populations of southern Israel and the tiny strip to try to return to their normal lives.

With bombs and rockets causing considerable damage, particularly in Gaza City, this could take awhile, and with both governments are trying to claim victory and pushing for “celebrations,” the average person on the street is more liable to be cleaning up the mess the two sides made trading strikes.

In Gaza particularly there is a lot of enthusiasm about the deal, and hopes that it will mean stability, with one vegetable stall owner in Gaza describing the situation as upbeat, saying everyone was eager to get back to normal as soon as possible. In southern Israel, that hope is tempered by a solid majority opposed to the idea of peace.

But exactly what the peace will mean for trade in Gaza is unclear. Hamas claims the deal obliges Israel to open all border crossings, and locals seem to hope at the very least ties with Egypt will be a lot stronger. Egyptian officials are downplaying how much of a change this will be, saying they intend the border situation to go back to the pre-war state.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.