'They lie to us': One year on, Gazans don't believe in ceasefire

A ceasefire is an agreement intended to stop or reduce fighting between opposing sides. It matters because civilians need safety, aid, and a chance to return home. In Gaza, residents say the agreement has not delivered those basic results after one year.

Israel has reduced the intensity of its attacks, but it continues striking Gaza and controls about 70 per cent of the territory. Fatima Awkal said shelling continues, people are still being injured, and drones keep buzzing overhead. Ahmed Jonaid still sleeps on a makeshift mat in a displacement camp instead of returning home.

The ceasefire also promised reconstruction and political changes, but neither has fully happened. Aid remains limited, entry points are controlled by Israel, and many people lack water, food, and financial support. The agreement therefore exists formally, but residents say its protections are not visible in daily life.

One year after the ceasefire announcement, Gaza remains heavily damaged and controlled. The UN reported that 82 per cent of standing structures were damaged or destroyed by mid-2026. Israel controls about 70 per cent of Gaza, leaving residents with restricted movement and limited access to essential supplies.

The war also displaced nearly the entire population. Almost all of Gaza's more than two million residents were displaced at least once after the conflict began. Many still live in white tents or makeshift shelters because their homes were destroyed or remain unsafe. In Gaza City, tents line routes cleared from rubble.

These figures show why the ceasefire has not restored normal life. Overcrowded shelters and poor hygiene have contributed to disease outbreaks. Reconstruction has not materialised, and people continue to depend on limited aid. Without rebuilding and safer living conditions, the physical and human effects of the war remain widespread.

When airstrikes continue and homes are destroyed, civilians lose safety, shelter, income, and access to essential services. Limited aid makes recovery harder. Families may remain in camps long after a ceasefire is announced, while overcrowding and poor hygiene increase the risk of disease.

Gaza residents described these consequences directly. Ahmed Jonaid expected to return home but instead sleeps on a makeshift mat in a refugee camp. Ismail Hamouda listed potable water, food, and financial assistance among the things people still lack. The article also reports disease outbreaks in overcrowded, unhygienic shelters.

The continuing strikes and restrictions keep civilians trapped in an unstable situation. Israel controls Gaza's entry points and allows in only limited aid, keeping basic goods too expensive for ordinary residents. With reconstruction still absent, families remain displaced and vulnerable. The longer these conditions continue, the harder it becomes to restore homes, health, and livelihoods.

The war that led to the ceasefire began with Hamas's unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. The article presents that attack as the starting point of the conflict that displaced almost all of Gaza's more than two million residents and devastated much of the territory.

Hamas is described as the Islamist movement that effectively remains in charge of security in Gaza. Its continued security role has complicated the ceasefire's planned political transition. Israel, meanwhile, reduced the intensity of its attacks but kept striking Gaza. It also controls all entry points into the territory and permits only a limited amount of aid.

The result is an incomplete ceasefire. Fighting is less intense than before, but residents still report shelling, injuries, and drone activity. Gaza remains heavily damaged, and reconstruction has not begun as promised. The opposing roles described in the article leave civilians facing both continuing military danger and restricted access to essential supplies.

The ceasefire's second phase was supposed to create a political transition away from Hamas rule. Ali Shaath was appointed head of a new National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, intended to provide technocratic administration during the post-war period.

That transition has not taken place on the ground. Hamas effectively remains in charge of security, while Shaath has taken a low profile. Five countries, including Morocco, agreed to join an International Stabilisation Force tasked with preparing for the post-war period, but its troops have not started operating in Gaza.

These missing pieces leave authority unresolved. A named administrative committee exists, but security control remains with Hamas and the planned international force is not active. The article therefore portrays the political phase as largely stalled. Until the new administration and stabilisation arrangements operate in practice, the ceasefire's promised post-war governance remains mainly a plan.

Entry points are the main channels for bringing food, water, medical supplies, and other goods into Gaza. When one authority controls those channels, it can limit the volume and timing of supplies. Shortages then become more likely, especially when local production and normal trade have been disrupted.

The article says Israel controls all entry points into Gaza and continues to allow in only a limited amount of aid. Ismail Hamouda, a displaced father, said residents still lacked potable water, food, and financial assistance. He also said the cost of basic goods was too high for ordinary Gazans.

This creates a direct link between border control and household hardship. Limited deliveries reduce availability, while high prices make what does arrive difficult to buy. As a result, a ceasefire without reliable access does not quickly improve daily life. Residents remain dependent on aid while displacement, destruction, and shortages continue.

A durable ceasefire means fighting genuinely stops and civilians can rely on that protection. Monitoring helps verify violations, while enforcement gives the agreement consequences when parties break it. Reconstruction matters because destroyed homes and services can keep people displaced even after attacks decline. An agreed political authority matters because someone must provide security and administer recovery.

Gaza illustrates these needs. Israel reduced attack intensity but continued strikes, while residents reported shelling and drone activity. Reconstruction promised under the plan has not materialised. Hamas remains in charge of security, Ali Shaath has taken a low profile, and the planned International Stabilisation Force has not begun operating.

These gaps leave the ceasefire existing mainly on paper, according to a Gaza doctor. Israel controls entry points and limits aid, while residents still lack water, food, and financial support. Without practical monitoring, enforcement, rebuilding, and governance, reduced violence cannot become lasting peace or normal civilian life.