Resilience Amidst Adversity: Palestinians Find Joy on Gaza Beach
Watan-Hundreds of Palestinians flocked to the beach of Deir al-Balah in the midst of Gaza, to seize moments of joy and enjoy the sea atmosphere after months of siege, death, and displacement. Their sentiment echoes the words of the late poet Mahmoud Darwish: “And we love life if we can find a way to it.”
The video that widely circulated appeared to shock Israelis who had deluded themselves into thinking they had broken the will of Gaza’s residents through their aggression, massacres, and continuous siege since October last year.
The footage captured from above showed hundreds of Palestinians, men, women, and children, frolicking in the beach waters, while young men played football nearby.
The Hebrew newspaper “Yedioth Ahronoth” reported that the Israeli army conducted maneuvers in most areas of the Gaza Strip but had not yet entered the city of Deir al-Balah.
لمن أراد أن يرى كيف يثبت اللهُ عبادَه،
ويلهمهم الصبر،
ويهوِّن عليهم مصابَهم..
هذا المشهد صُوِّر اليوم من
محافظة دير البلح وسط قطاع غزة❤️
اللهم أدِم فرحتهم
واجبر مصابهم
واهزم عدوهم pic.twitter.com/pKiGOulZlb— فايز الكندري (@fayezalkandary) April 17, 2024
Consequently, there are many displaced people from the northern Gaza Strip, or those who have recently arrived there from Rafah – “which the Israeli occupation army will enter soon,” according to the source.
The newspaper referred to the video that circulated on Wednesday, describing it as extraordinary from Deir al-Balah, showing crowds of Gaza residents taking advantage of the heat and bathing in the sea during the war.
Israeli individuals expressed hatred and racist calls to bomb the Gazans in Deir al-Balah, with one writing: “We have 133 prisoners in Gaza, and 194 days have passed, and this is how Deir al-Balah in Gaza looks today. This is not how victory appears. Wake up immediately.”
The Hebrew website Real News IL commented: “While Israelis are preparing MDM devices and buying generators and evacuating at least 100,000 citizens from their homes in the north and south of the country, and most importantly, 133 kidnapped individuals are still in Gaza, Deir al-Balah residents illustrate what ‘the complete victory step’ looks like.”
Meanwhile, supporters of the Palestinian cause praised their resilience and will to live despite death, bloodshed, displacement, and siege.
Palestinian writer Adham Sharqawi commented: “The beach of Deir al-Balah in Gaza today shows things that reveal the difference between the occupier and the homeowner!”
Jihad Hals said: “We are a people who love life and deserve it. O Allah, make our coming days days of joy, relief, security, and safety!”
Fayez Al-Kandari added: “For those who wanted to see how God strengthens His servants, inspires them with patience, and eases their afflictions,” and concluded: “This scene was filmed today from Deir al-Balah Governorate in the midst of the Gaza Strip. O Allah, maintain their joy, ease their suffering, and defeat their enemy.”
