Deir el-Balah, Gaza – A wave of cautious hope spread through Gaza when United States President Donald Trump’s ceasefire plan was announced.Many feared Hamas might reject it, but the group agreed. Yet the short-lived celebrations faded as Israeli bombings continued, leaving residents confused and uncertain about what the deal would actually mean for their lives.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of listIn their displacement tents and ruined homes, Palestinians wonder: Can Trump’s ceasefire plan actually end this war after two years of blood and destruction?Optimism, pessimism and numbnessAbdel Rahman Abu Warda, 37, holds on to hope, especially because Hamas responded positively, agreeing to release Israeli captives and hand over authority in Gaza.To test his optimism, he headed north on Sunday morning to al-Nueiri Hill in central Gaza, northwest of the Nuseirat refugee camp, to check how many people were moving south.He was determined, walking half of the 6km (nearly 4 miles) and hopping on a horse-drawn cart for the rest of the way, a journey of about an hour and a half, but it was worth it for him.“The movement from north to south has nearly stopped,” he said with a smile.“This shows people are hopeful for a solution, and God willing, we may all return north soon.”But not everybody in the Nuseirat camp shares Abu Warda’s optimism.Mohammad Abu Dahrouj, 44, has gone from hope to frustration and pessimism about the war.“At first, I was surprised by Hamas’s posi …
