North Texans from Jewish and Palestinian communities react to the ceasefire, hoping for peace and rebuilding after a long conflict.
Dallas: People in North Texas are buzzing about the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. It’s a big deal for both the Jewish and Palestinian communities here.
Many folks shared their thoughts with NBC 5 about what might happen next after 15 months of fighting. Leaders in the Jewish community are hopeful this could bring back some normalcy.
Joel Schwitzer, from the American Jewish Committee, mentioned it’s been a tough 465 days since Hamas took hostages. For those families, it must feel like forever.
The conflict started with a surprise attack on October 7, 2023, which tragically took over 1,200 lives and left many civilians captured.
Meanwhile, the war has devastated Gaza, with reports saying over 46,000 people, mostly civilians, lost their lives due to Israeli actions.
Dr. Ali Elaydi, who grew up in Dallas but was born in Gaza, returned to help the injured during the fighting. He witnessed horrific scenes that he had never seen before.
Elaydi expressed mixed feelings about the ceasefire. He hopes for a better future for Gaza, with schools and hospitals rebuilt quickly.
He said, “While I’m glad this is ending, I feel it’s important to remember those lives lost and start rebuilding Gaza.”
After the October 7 attack, antisemitic incidents in the U.S. reportedly jumped by 200%, according to a study by the Anti-Defamation League.
The Jewish community in North Texas is hoping this ceasefire brings peace both locally and globally. Schwitzer added, “We’re just thinking about the hostages and the day they can finally reunite with their families.”
Both communities are looking forward to Sunday when the ceasefire is set to take effect.
