On January 16, as news broke of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas after 460 days of war, the Palestinian Shatila Camp in Beirut came alive with celebration. Jubilant crowds filled the narrow streets, dancing and firing shots into the air to celebrate the impending end of the attacks on Gaza.
But while the festive spirit lingers in the air in the camp these days, not everyone is swept up in the euphoria. In a dim alleyway tucked within Shatila’s maze of corridors, Kasem Hasan sits quietly in his modest shop, a world away from the jubilation that fills the camp.
“What’s the result of the war? Everything is destroyed!” Hasan says. “How do you expect life to continue in Gaza, when there’re no work opportunities, no homes anymore.”
At the same moment, young boys zip through the camp on scooters, their laughter echoing as they carry oversized Palestinian flags draped across their backs like capes.
“Of course, I’m happy for the ceasefire agreement. At least they’ll stop killing for a while. But I’m not happy about the future,” Hasan says.
Born and raised in the West Bank in Palestine, he now lives his life in the Shatila Camp in Lebanon. He is responsible for overseeing the camp on behalf of the Fatah movement and holds political responsibility for the general security of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO).
The ceasefire took effect on Sunday, January 19, aiming to temporarily halt the attacks on Gaza, facilitate prisoner exchanges, and allow displaced Palestinians to return home. However, after Israel’s campaign of destruction, many of those homes no longer exist.
Israeli attacks on Gaza have caused extensive damage, affecting 92 percent of homes. Additionally, 80 percent of commercial facilities, 88 percent of school buildings, and 68 percent of the road network have been damaged. Only 50 percent of Gaza’s hospitals remain partially functional, with the rest severely impacted.
These figures are based on data from January 15, provided by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Palestinian government.
Experts estimate it will take at least a decade to clear the 42 million tonnes of rubble in Gaza.
Although the ceasefire means Israel will stop using weapons as a tool of violence, Hasan doesn’t believe weapons are the only means of killing the Palestinian people. He believes a ceasefire is meaningless without the protection of human rights.
“Will they stop discriminating against us? Discrimination is just another form of killing,” he says.
“When you don’t have your rights, you feel dead on the inside, even though you’re still alive.”
Born and raised in the West Bank, Kasem Hasan began his studies at Bethlehem University before being forced to leave his homeland in 1979 due to his political affiliation with the Palestinian Fatah movement, the largest faction within the PLO.
Seeking solidarity and a shared purpose, he chose to move to Lebanon, where large communities were actively fighting for a free Palestine. Settling in Shatila Camp, he continued his education and eventually graduated from a university in Lebanon.
While he is now settled in Lebanon and unable to return to his homeland, Hasan continues to fight for peace in his country. However, he feels it’s an uphill battle.
He highlights the imbalance of power in the conflict, comparing it to a wrestling match between a strong and weak fighter, where the weaker one stands no chance. In this case, Palestine is the weak fighter, with little support from Arab nations, lacking the strength and resources to confront Western countries or sustain the war.
Hasan also believes that the leaders of Israel, the USA, and Europe do not truly want peace, even though they have advocated for a ceasefire.
“If peace were to happen, it would establish borders, and they wouldn’t like that because they reject a solution that recognizes Palestine as a sovereign land,” he says.
“Instead, they use people as a wood for the fire,” he responds with a resigned tone. “Time of morals has vanished in this world.”
The ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas does not address an alternative form of governance in Gaza. Israel has yet to propose one.
Since the war on Gaza began in October 2023, Israel has killed more than 46,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Around 90 percent of Gaza’s population was displaced during the war, making it one of the highest displacement rates in modern conflicts, according to Al Jazeera.
“It’s all a play of policy. They damaged Gaza completely!” Hasan says. “And who paid the price for this hard policy? The poor people in Gaza.”
He says only two men in this world know the future of Palestine: American President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. But does Hasan trust their decision-making? At least, he has hope. The Palestinian people, he says, have never known peace, only hope. Without that, they wouldn’t survive.
“I have to believe that if I don’t have my rights today, I’ll get them in the future,” he says.
The ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip took effect on Sunday after a nearly three-hour delay. As part of the agreement, three Israeli captives and 90 Palestinian prisoners were released from Israeli jails on Sunday.
Displaced Palestinians have started returning to their homes amidst the rubble of Gaza.
The Palestine Red Crescent Society has trucks stationed in Jordan, Egypt, and the occupied West Bank, loaded with food, water, tents, and medical supplies.
Even though an agreement has been reached, and the ceasefire has begun, it won’t necessarily end the suffering in Gaza. The remaining residents of the strip may still live in what many call “the world’s largest prison.” Moreover, the ceasefire cannot undo the immense loss of nearly 50,000 loved ones.
