Israel-Hamas deal in Gaza: Israeli and Palestinian in Northern Ireland give contrasting views of ceasefire

On October 7 2023 a Hamas-led terror invasion of Israel saw over 1,200 people killed (mainly civilians) and 250 taken hostage.

Hamas says the subsequent Israeli action in Gaza has killed 46,000 people, but refuses to say how many were Hamas fighters.

A ceasefire came into effect on Sunday that saw three Israeli women hostages released from Gaza and 90 Palestinians freed from Israeli jails in return in the first phase of a deal brokered by the US, Egypt and Qatar.

Ethan Godsi, 23, from London, is studying for a master’s degree in Violence, Terrorism and Security in QUB. He holds an Israeli passport, having visited the country dozens of times.

His sister's family had to evacuate from the north of Israel due to Hamas attacks after October 7.

For the Israeli hostages being released, he said it is “obviously a very joyous moment”.

“They've had to deal with so much emotional distress, obviously not having any signs of life for their loved ones since the November deal,” he said.

However, he confesses “a minority view” in Israeli society in that he is “anxious about hostage deals as a precedent”.

He recalls 1,000 Palestinian prisoners being released for Israel soldier Gilad Shalit a decade ago.

“Israel has had to achieve certain military objectives since October 7,” he added.

“I think the last 10 or 15 years you've had Iran building its proxy strategy, and there's been almost a strategy of appeasement, where Israel could not respond too much [to attacks] because of the risk of an escalatory response.

“But now it certainly is an optimistic moment. The wider security picture for Israel is that Iran as a regional actor is significantly weakened.

“So I think there is hope for the peace deal.”

Belfast doctor Omar Alshaqaqi, 46, left Gaza when he was 18 for the UK and trained as a doctor.

Up until December 4 he and his wife had lost 80 relatives in Gaza. Then they got the devastating news that his mother-in-law and brother-in-law had been killed and two sisters badly injured.

“Our family have been scattered in different parts of Gaza in tents for over 12 months, having been evacuated 10 times,” he told the News Letter.

“I feel that there's mixed emotions here,” he said of the deal. One is that he is “pleased” that they will be stopping Israel’s actions in Gaza.

“But at the same time, I feel ill and sorrow and deep sadness for the lives we have lost and the people who are injured, who are mourning, for all the destruction. It now looks like Hiroshima.”

His family had no connection to the October 7 attacks, he said.

“The people who carried it out are not my people. My people are the peaceful, loving people who were killed in the last 15 months. My family were not involved in any of these atrocities.”

He added: “I think the two-state solution is the way forward for all sides; the Palestinians will have their own independent state, and the Israelis will live in their country in peace, side by side with us.”