Palestinian, Jewish communities in Saskatchewan react to Gaza ceasefire deal, await its approval

Palestinian and Jewish communities around the world are watching to see if a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas is approved.

While there is still some uncertainty, the prospect of an end to the 15-month war is causing a range of emotions for members of both the Palestinian and Jewish communities in Saskatchewan.

Asmaa Olwan, a Palestinian teacher in Regina, said she hopes to see the "nightmare" war in Gaza come to an end.

Olwan said she has spent the entire 15-month conflict living with feelings of fear and helplessness for her family members still living in the region. 

"All the neighbourhood was demolished and so they had to search for their houses, the location of it," she said. "They have to go and bury their beloved that they didn't have time for during the war."

While Olwan said she welcomed the ceasefire, her relief was tempered by the enduring struggles faced by her loved ones.

"It is a new era with a lot of sorrow," she said.

Jeremy Parnes, a rabbi at the Beth Jacob Synagogue in Regina, said a common ground for both communities is a desire for the end of hostilities.

"Wishing that all of this could have happened much earlier. And at the same time, I'm feeling a little reservation," he said.

"What the resolution needs to be for Palestinians, for Israelis in the region as it relates from my perspective anyway, is the form of peaceful coexistence."

Eman Almehdawe, a Palestinian Canadian professor in Regina, also has hopes for peace.

"This is something that we've been waiting for," Almehdawe said. "I'm glad to see that there is some hope coming up now with the commitment to a permanent ceasefire hopefully in the horizon."

On Thursday, Israel delayed holding a cabinet meeting to ratify the ceasefire deal that had been announced Wednesday, blaming a last-minute dispute with Hamas. Israeli warplanes continued to pound Gaza with airstrikes, which Palestinian authorities said killed at least 86 people in the day since the truce was unveiled.

The war began when Hamas-led militants staged a surprise attack on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people and abducting around 250. About 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, and the Israeli military believes around a third and up to half of them are dead.