GAZA, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- In a blend of joy and sorrow, tens of thousands of Palestinians took to the streets to celebrate the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel, ending a devastating 15-month conflict.

Waving Palestinian flags, many expressed relief over the truce but tempered their celebrations with grief over the losses endured during the war.

Earlier in the day, Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani announced that Hamas and Israel had reached a ceasefire agreement that would go into effect on Sunday.

In a statement, Hamas described the ceasefire announcement as "the fruit of the legendary steadfastness of the Palestinian people and their resistance in Gaza."

For residents like Fatima Abu Riash, a displaced mother of three from Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, the ceasefire brought a fragile sense of relief. "Thank God the war has ended. Now, we can sleep without fearing more loss," she said.

Yet, her relief was clouded by trauma and loss. "How can I forget those moments? How can I forget that I lost my home? That I lost part of my family in the bombing?" she questioned.

Mohammed Abu Ramadan, a father of six from the same area, joined the street celebrations while grappling with pain. "I am grateful for the ceasefire, but I cannot forget those killed or the destruction of my home," he shared. "My children screamed in the dark, hiding in corners. How can we move on when we've lost everything?"

Tahani Shamalakh, another Gaza-based resident, summed up the bittersweet reality. "We survived the war but at a tremendous cost -- our children, homes, and hopes."

"We don't know what the future holds. Will we face this hell again? Peace doesn't come easily, but we hope this time will be different," she said. Enditem

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