(14 Jan 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip – 14 January 2025
1. Wide of people walking in street
2. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Rami Abu Shera, displaced Palestinian:
"We’re waiting for the moment when no one is killed, injured, or displaced, when there is no more destruction. Enough is enough. We are exhausted. We don’t have the strength to bear this anymore. Our lives are filled with destruction. We just want to live like the simplest people on earth."
3. Various of people in streets
4. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Abed Dawas, displaced Palestinian: ++STARTS ON PREVIOUS SHOT++
"For more than a year-and-a-half, we’ve been away from our home, our land, our family and the place where we grew up. The feeling (if a ceasefire is announced) will be the most beautiful thing in life—it will be like Eid."
5. Various of people in streets
6. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Mohammad Al-Attar, displaced Palestinian: ++STARTS ON PREVIOUS SHOT++
"(Hearing news about the ceasefire talks) brings us joy and happiness. We want to return to our towns. Everyone is excited about this. We’ve been humiliated, and we’re tired of this life. We just want to go home, even if it’s to live in a tent—just to be back in our areas."
7. People walking near tents
8. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Mona Nasrallah, displaced Palestinian:
"We want to live in safety and peace, to give our children a better life and compensate them for all they’ve lost. All their hopes and ambitions have been destroyed."
9. Various of displaced people near tents
STORYLINE:
Palestinians in the central Gaza Strip expressed their hope and joy over news of a potential ceasefire deal after mediators said Israel and Hamas were at the closest point yet to sealing an agreement to bring them a step closer to ending 15 months of war.
Hamas has accepted a draft agreement for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of dozens of hostages, two officials involved in the talks said Tuesday.
One Palestinian, Abed Dawas, said he and his family had been displaced for 15 months, hoping that the warring parties conclude their talks with a ceasefire deal.
He said if a deal was agreed it would be "the most beautiful thing in life—it will be like Eid."
Mohammad Al-Attar, who was also displaced by the fighting, said news of the potential agreement brought him "joy and happiness".
"We want to return to our towns. Everyone is excited about this. We’ve been humiliated, and we’re tired of this life. We just want to go home, even if it’s to live in a tent—just to be back in our areas," he said.
The Associated Press obtained a copy of the proposed agreement, and an Egyptian official and a Hamas official confirmed its authenticity.
An Israeli official said progress has been made, but the details are being finalized. All three officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the talks.
The United States, Egypt and Qatar have spent the past year trying to mediate an end to the war and secure the release of dozens of hostages captured in Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack that triggered it.
Nearly 100 people are still captive inside Gaza, and the military believes at least a third are dead.
Any deal is expected to pause the fighting and bring hopes for winding down the most deadly and destructive war Israel and Hamas have ever fought, a conflict that has destabilized the Middle East and sparked worldwide protests.
It would bring relief to the hard-hit Gaza Strip, where Israel’s offensive has reduced large areas to rubble and displaced around 90% of the population of 2.3 million, many at risk of famine.
Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/
You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/95a4c5e246ef4efe9248952309edcb05
Author: AP Archive
Go to Source
News post in January 20, 2025, 12:00 am.
Visit Our Sponsor’s:
News Post In – News
