In Pictures

Gallery|Gaza

In Pictures: Celebrations across Gaza after 11 days of bombing

Thousands of Palestinians take to the streets after ceasefire between Israel and Hamas takes effect.

Save

Thousands took to the streets of Gaza as the ceasefire took hold at 2am. [Said Khatib/AFP]
Published On 21 May 2021

Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have taken to the streets to celebrate the ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas, waving flags and flashing the “V” sign for victory.

The ceasefire came into effect in the early hours of Friday morning after Egypt brokered the deal between the two sides to halt 11 days of relentless Israeli bombardment of the besieged enclave and rocket fire from Gaza.

The escalation on May 10 was triggered by an Israeli police crackdown on protesters at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem, following weeks of tensions in the city caused by the planned forced expulsion of several Palestinian families from their homes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood.

In the Gaza Strip, which has been under a 14-year blockade, Palestinians on Friday embraced one another in celebration of the ceasefire in front of bombed-out buildings and along streets covered in wreckage. Mosque loudspeakers feted “the victory of the resistance achieved over the Occupation (Israel)”.

There were similar scenes of jubilation in occupied East Jerusalem around Sheikh Jarrah as people in cars flew Palestinian flags and honked horns. Celebrations also broke out in Ramallah and Bethlehem.

At least 232 Palestinians, including 65 children, were killed in the Israeli bombardment of Gaza. On the Israeli side, 12 people, including two children, were killed.

 

Al Jazeera’s Youmna al-Sayed, reporting from Gaza City, said Palestinians began celebrating as soon as the ceasefire came into effect. "They started cheering and chanting 'God is Great,'" she said. "And for them today, it’s considered actually the first day of the Eid al-Fitr religious festival since the aggression started before the last day of Ramadan and they didn’t really get to celebrate Eid." [Said Khatib/AFP]
Advertisement
Young men waved Palestinian and Hamas flags, passed out sweets, honked horns and set off fireworks. [Adel Hana/AP Photo]
As Palestinians embraced one another in celebration, mosque loudspeakers celebrated "the victory of the resistance achieved over the Occupation (Israel)". [Ashraf Amra/Anadolu]
Observers, however, warn the ceasefire is unsustainable unless underlying issues facing Palestinians are dealt with. [Mahmud Hams/AFP]
Israel's heavy bombardment of the Gaza Strip left much of the blockaded territory in ruins. [Ashraf Amra/Anadolu]
Women in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, celebrate the ceasefire. [Said Khatib/AFP]
Advertisement
Some people in Gaza who had been taking shelter in school buildings after their homes were damaged in Israeli raids began returning as soon as the ceasefire began. [Ashraf Amra/Anadolu]
Hamas said Israel must end its violations in occupied East Jerusalem and address damages from the bombardment of Gaza following the ceasefire. [Mahmud Hams/AFP]
Palestinians in Gaza chant slogans as they wave green Hamas and their national flags. [Adel Hana/AP Photo]