Palestinians in Gaza feel abandoned amid Lebanon ceasefire progress

The prospect of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon without a similar deal with Gaza has left Palestinians feeling abandoned and fearful that Israel will focus squarely on its onslaught in the enclave.

The Hezbollah began firing missiles at Israel in solidarity with Palestinians after Tel Aviv started a war on Gaza in October of 2023.

Hostilities in Lebanon have drastically escalated in the last two months, with Israel stepping up air strikes and sending in ground forces to Lebanon's south and Hezbollah sustaining rocket fire on Israel.

Now Israel looks set to approve a US plan for a ceasefire with Hezbollah when its security cabinet meets on Tuesday, while Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib expressed hope that a ceasefire would be reached by Tuesday night.

While diplomacy focuses on Lebanon, Palestinians feel let down by the world after 14 months of war which has devastated Gaza and killed more than 44,000 people.

'We were left alone'

"It showed Gaza is an orphan, with no support and no mercy from the unjust world," said Abdel-Ghani, a father of five who only gave a first name.

"I am angry against the world that has failed to bring one solution to the two regions," Abdel-Ghani. "Maybe, there will be another deal for Gaza, maybe."

The Palestinian resistance group Hamas had hoped that the expansion of the war into Lebanon would pressure Israel into a comprehensive ceasefire. Hezbollah had insisted that it would not agree to a ceasefire until the war in Gaza was over, but dropped this condition.

"We had high hopes that Hezbollah would remain steadfast until the end but it seems they couldn't," said Tamer Al-Burai, a Gaza City businessman, who like most Palestinians has been displaced from his home. "We are afraid the Israeli army will now have a free hand in Gaza."

"We hoped the expansion of the war meant one solution for all, but we were left alone in the face of the monstrous (Israeli) occupation," said Zakeya Rezik, 56, a mother of six.

"Enough is enough, we are exhausted. How many more had to die before they stopped the war? Gaza war must stop, the people are being wiped out, starved, and bombed every day."