After seven weeks of war, thousands of Gaza residents left their temporary shelters in United Nations-run schools on Wednesday as an open-ended ceasefire between Hamas and Israel took effect.<br /><br />As they returned, many found their homes and businesses had been completely destroyed by Israeli attacks.<br /><br />More than half a million Palestinians have been displaced by the latest violence; many say they’ve grown weary of the on-off conflicts between the two sides.<br /><br />Gaza shop-keeper Ahmed Kharwat was among those calling for peace as he surveyed the damage to his property.<br /><br />“Nobody likes war. They should find a real solution. We don’t want to go through war every one, two, or even four (years). They need to find a real solution so that we can live and work. As you see, after we rebuilt, war came. Two years later everything is destroyed again,” he said.<br /><br />Israel has agreed to open its borders with Gaza to allow humanitarian aid and reconstruction materials to reach those who need them most.<br /><br />A World Food Programme convoy, carrying enough aid for 150,000 people, passed through the Rafa crossing on Wednesday.<br /><br />Israelis though, are more sceptical about prospects of lasting peace.<br /><br />Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces deep criticism in some quarters for not taking stronger military action against Hamas.<br /><br />Jerusalem resident Beth Hava doesn’t think the ceasefire will be respected for long.<br /><br />“If the ceasefire works so that really there is quiet and Hamas is not able to re-arm themselves and something is put in place so that they are demilitarised, then I think it’s a good thing. I think everyone is tired and needs a rest and needs to get back to a normal life,” she said.<br /><br />Despite facing nearly two months of persistent rocket fire, Israel said the war had dealt a strong blow to Hamas, killing several of its military leaders and destroying the group’s cross-border infiltration tunnels.
