(20 Jan 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Rafah, Gaza Strip – 20 January 2025
1. Various of displaced people returning to their homes
2. Top shot of vehicles carrying displaced people and their belongings in street
3. Tracking shot of truck carrying displaced people
4. Various of vehicles and displaced people walking
5. Top shot of people checking what’s left of their destroyed homes
6. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Maisara Abu-Qoush, displaced man from Rafah city:
"The first night was very nice. We slept comfortably. The atmosphere was good and nice, and things were not worrying. We used to sleep at 10 or 11 but with anxiety. Yesterday, there were no warplanes or anything, so we slept comfortably. Thank God, we hope that the situation will remain as it is. We ask the people and the United Nations to speed up and improve the situation in Rafah, because things were very difficult. We did not expect the extent of this destruction. There are no necessities of life."
7. Top shot of people checking what’s left of their destroyed homes
8. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Fatma Hamad, displaced woman from Rafah city:
"We were very happy on the first day of the ceasefire. It was a day without bombing, without drones. We are very tired of the war and the destruction around us. We are tired of the bombing. The people of Rafah felt humiliated and displaced. We walked long distances. We were very afraid. We felt very afraid for our loved ones. But thank God, we felt very good that we survived, and we hope to return to our lands, God willing."
9. Top shot of people checking what’s left of their destroyed homes
STORYLINE:
Some displaced Palestinians in southern Gaza expressed relief on Monday, saying they slept for the first time in over a year without bombing or fear after a ceasefire deal was reached between Israel and Hamas.
After 15 months of devastating war, "yesterday, there were no warplanes or anything, so we slept comfortably," said Maisara Abu-Qoush, a displaced man from Rafah city.
Many were seen returning from Khan Younis to Rafah, only to find massive destruction.
People trekked through the wreckage, some on foot and others hauling their belongings on donkey carts.
"We are tired of the bombing. The people of Rafah felt humiliated and displaced. We walked long distances. We were very afraid," said Fatma Hamad, another displaced person from Rafah.
The return of the families comes amid looming uncertainty about whether the ceasefire deal will bring more than a temporary halt to the fighting, who will govern the enclave and how it will be rebuilt.
The United Nations has said that reconstruction could take more than 350 years if Gaza remains under an Israeli blockade.
Dozens of Palestinian prisoners have been freed by Israel after three hostages left Hamas captivity in an exchange that took place after 15 months of collective grief and anxiety.
Both Israelis and Palestinians are torn between celebration and trepidation as the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took hold Sunday.
The skies above Gaza and Israel were silent for the first time in over a year, and Palestinians began returning to what was left of the homes.
===========================================================
Clients are reminded to adhere to all listed restrictions and to check the terms of their licence agreements. For further assistance, please contact the AP Archive on: Tel +44(0)2074827482 Email: info@aparchive.com.
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/25e12144c1f24c17b183047821476452
Author: AP Archive
Go to Source
News post in January 25, 2025, 12:04 pm.
Visit Our Sponsor’s:
News Post In – News
