Opinion: Gaza ceasefire, the Palestinian spirit will never be broken

Amid thunderous cheers from thousands of people in Gaza’s main square, three Israeli hostages were handed over to the Red Cross on Sunday - a moment that defied expectations and rewrote the narrative of the war. 

Fighters from the armed wing of Hamas, the Qassam Brigades, clad in full combat gear, stood alongside the hostages, their presence a bold declaration of defiance. 

After 15 months of relentless bombardment, mass displacement and near-total devastation, the Palestinian resistance emerged undefeated, reclaiming the story of survival and resilience.

In Israel, disbelief and humiliation prevailed. 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had repeatedly assured his people that northern Gaza had been “cleansed”, that Hamas - which is proscribed as a terrorist group in the UK and other countries - had been obliterated, and that the area was under full Israeli military control.

Read more:  Gaza ceasefire: The Palestinian spirit will never be broken