Gaza: What Does the Second Phase of the Ceasefire Really Mean?

No one really understands what is going on.

Since dawn on January 17, Gaza has been under incessant bombardment. The city is collapsing once again, and fear is spreading through the streets and the tents of the displaced. Explosions are hitting everywhere: schools, houses, tents; nothing is spared. Everything seems to be targeted, as if the aim were to erase all traces of life.

Residents are fleeing, children are screaming, and shelters are nothing more than a distant dream.

A “ceasefire”? These are just empty words here.

The war never really stopped: it was just taking a breather, and now it’s back, more brutal than ever. Every moment feels like it could be the last, while the world looks on, powerless.

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Since the ceasefire came into effect on October 10, the Gaza Health Ministry reports that more than 440 Palestinians have been killed, the vast majority of them civilians, despite the truce.

Even after the announcement of the ceasefire, life in Gaza remains unbearable. Recent rains have turned the streets into muddy swamps, flooding partially destroyed homes and making survival even more precarious than under the bombardments themselves.

Strong winds and storms have torn dozens of tents from displacement camps, leaving entire families exposed to the cold and rain. Many houses already damaged by bombing have partially collapsed under the force of the gusts, further exacerbating the misery of the inhabitants. Some refugees have been forced to seek temporary shelter by the sea, where weather conditions remain extreme, and gusts of wind and rain make the situation even more dangerous.

According to local authorities, more than 35 children have died in recent weeks, not from bombs, but from the cold and unsanitary conditions in these makeshift shelters. Among the latest tragic cases, seven-month-old Shaza Abu Jarad died from the freezing cold, leaving her family devastated.

The second phase of the ceasefire: diplomatic promises versus reality

While Gaza struggles to survive the bombs and bad weather, the international community is preparing a second phase of the ceasefire, which includes the establishment of an international committee or authority to manage Gaza.

On paper, this committee would be responsible for coordinating humanitarian aid, overseeing essential services, and organizing the reconstruction of destroyed infrastructure.

But on the ground, there is deep skepticism. For many residents, this initiative seems completely disconnected from reality: decisions are made without their participation, and vital needs — reconstruction work, the installation of caravans for displaced families, and the supply of food and medicine — remain largely neglected.

The council’s decisions appear to be more symbolic than practical, while Gazans continue to suffer.

Ahmed, a teacher in Gaza City, sums up this concern. “Governing without involving us means deciding our lives without asking our opinion. There is talk of committees and plans, but we are just trying to survive each day.”

As families continue to suffer from cold weather, storms, and precarious living conditions, the promises of the “second phase” seem increasingly abstract.

In this context, the “Peace Council,” responsible for overseeing aid and reconstruction, faces significant constraints. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strictly limits its members’ access to Gaza, allowing only highly supervised and monitored visits, which greatly reduces their ability to intervene effectively.

The council’s decisions therefore appear more symbolic than practical, while Gazans continue to suffer daily misery and insecurity.

Fatal incidents near the yellow line

Israel unexpectedly moved yellow concrete blocks beyond the line defined on maps to separate Gaza into two zones, with the eastern zone remaining officially under Israeli control. This caused great confusion among Palestinians and left some residents “trapped” inside the yellow line.

Ahmed, a young resident of Hayy al-Tuffah, says: “We now live inside the yellow line, but behind these concrete blocks, without knowing what our fate will be.”

“At night, the atmosphere is terrifying: we hear explosions, soldiers advancing, gunfire, the constant buzzing of drones, and we are exposed to direct fire.”

A “ceasefire”? These are just empty words here.

Since the expansion of the “yellow line,” violent incidents have multiplied. According to local reports, at least twelve civilians have been killed for approaching the yellow line in recent weeks, while dozens more have been injured or forcibly displaced.

Residents also report violations of their freedom of movement, with soldiers controlling every street and access point, turning the line into an area that is virtually impossible to cross without risking death.

Among the victims was 17-year-old Zaher Nasser Shamiyeh, who was killed near the yellow blocks in the Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza. His father recounts with horror: “Israeli forces opened fire on him before a tank hit him on December 10. The tank blew his body to pieces… He had entered the ‘safe’ zone west of the yellow line and they crushed him.”

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In Gaza, there is no real truce.

Residents are trapped between bombings, direct fire, and freezing storms, while every step outside their shelter can be fatal. Children are dying of cold, families are trapped behind concrete blocks, and teenagers like Zaher Nasser Shamiyeh are losing their lives in unbearable circumstances.

The yellow line is not just a border on a map: it has become a death trap, where daily life boils down to survival, fearing every moment and counting the losses.

With every explosion, every gust of wind, every child’s cry, the reality far exceeds any statistics or news reports.

Gaza continues to burn, not only under the bombs, but under the indifference of the world and the injustice that befalls its inhabitants.

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