Thousands of Palestinians have returned to the devastated northern Gaza Strip. For now, the dream of renewed Jewish settlement in the area has faded. From the balconies of homes in the Israeli communities along the Gaza border region, residents can already see, on these clear days, displaced Palestinians sifting through the rubble.
A new era is beginning on both sides of the fence, with a larger buffer zone in the middle and IDF troops stationed at its center, closely monitoring and enforcing strict rules of engagement.
As of Tuesday, a new reality is starting to take shape in Gaza and the Israeli border region. Despite promises of calm and separation of forces, there is no guarantee this new model will endure. The situation is complex, fragile and, naturally, subject to change depending on conditions on the ground, political developments and the habits and routines that will form.
Refugee camps in northern Gaza are expected to be rebuilt more quickly than anticipated, and life there will gradually return to normal. By the end of the year, it is expected that most residents of the Israeli communities in the Gaza border region will also return to their homes.
Palestinian refugees returning to northern Gaza have been documented in large numbers. It is likely that among their bags and large sacks, weapons have been smuggled – personal firearms, explosives and more. To think otherwise would be naïve. On the other hand, reality is complex. This is the price of ending the war and securing the return of hostages.
We knew this would happen, we saw it coming, and there is no choice but to accept it with resignation while focusing on the positive outcomes of the deal: the smiling faces of the released hostages at home and the anticipation of others still to return. Our hearts swell with joy, and we are filled with renewed strength. The frustration over the high cost of the deal, which gnaws at the back of all our minds, fades slightly into the background, becoming blurry. This is a personal decision, a matter of maturity and perspective. On the other hand, there is a large segment of the public whose feelings are entirely the opposite.
Going north
(Video: Reuters)
Renewed settlement of Palestinians in northern Gaza – and, undoubtedly, the reestablishment of terror hubs – is deeply troubling for the residents of the Gaza border region, particularly those living in communities near the fence. And rightfully so. At the end of the day, even with the army acting as a buffer, it is still a kind of neighborly relationship. Many years ago, it was a good one - one that everyone benefited from. But the day Hamas decided to destroy that coexistence, the first to suffer were the residents of the border region – those on the other side of the fence, whose homes were infiltrated, whose loved ones were murdered, and who were abducted.
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So how do these residents return to their homes with a sense of security and rebuild their communities alongside such unpredictable neighbors? This is a personal matter that depends on the individual’s resilience. However, there is one thing that is undisputed: the need for transparency.
The new reality taking shape in Gaza is highly dynamic, and the situation there could become even more tangled. This time, the residents of the Gaza border region need to remain vigilant. In the past, before the surprise attack, the IDF and the government told us stories. Discussions were peppered with polished words and simplistic descriptions of a grim and complicated situation.
Kibbutz Be'eri being rebuilt
Even then, it didn’t sound credible, but people swallowed the bitter pill. To foster new and stable settlement in the Gaza border region – an inherently unstable area – there needs to be open and honest communication with citizens, reflecting the complexity of the situation, because there is no way around it. It is what it is.
At the same time, strengths must also be reinforced. First and foremost, it must be recognized that the communities of the Gaza border region are fundamentally communal. Residents rely on one another by choice, driven by a desire to be part of something greater. What happens in Gaza in the coming years is undoubtedly important, but even more significant is the question of how this region will develop on the Israeli side.