"There is nothing left but rubble, they have bombed hospitals, homes and schools"

The Gaza ceasefire has given the Palestinians a little hope but there is the constant fear that war will break out again, according to Mahmoud Abumarzouq, a Navan based orthopaedic surgeon.

"World leaders are still supplying weapons to Israel and it could all start again tomorrow, Gazans don't feel safe," he said.

Mahmoud who lost his brother, brother-in-law, two nieces and two nephews in the war, said Gaza has been completely flattened and the psychological impact on the people has been horrific.

"67,000 have been killed, there is nothing left but rubble. They have bombed hospitals homes and schools. There is nothing left. There is nothing green It is all rubble.

"You can see the horror on the faces of the people. The psychological impact, especially on children is dreadful," he said.

"The ceasefire gives hope, but there is so much fear. People have lost so many loved ones."

Mahmoud questioned what sort of a peace deal has been implemented, when those who are responsible for 67,000 deaths wont be held accountable.

Mahmoud's parents who had to leave Rafah during the war are still not being permitted the southern Gaza city. "They are not allowing people return there. My parents home is gone now," he said.

The war has devastated Mahmoud's family, his brother was killed by an Israeli bomb last year. His two nieces and two nephews died in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza last March and he lost his uncle and brother in law during airstrikes in October 2023.

"We have a little bit of hope now. At least every morning, there isn't news of more families being wiped out. Prisoners have been released but there are some horrific stories of how they were treated. "Many of those released have been hearing how their family members have all been killed.

"One thing this war has done is shown the whole world how Gazans and Palestinians have been treated, how brutal the Israelis are."

"We have to hope the peace will hold that aid will be allowed in and that Gaza can be rebuilt

“The scars on our hearts and souls will never go away.”