Gaza ceasefire: Children remain cautious

Following the ceasefire declared by Palestinian militant groups and Israel, the UN warns that rebuilding Gaza will cost billions of dollars and estimates that tens of thousands of Palestinians have been left homeless and 400,000 people still have no running water.

Below is a report from the Gaza Strip, sent by Dr. Kamil el Shami, of SOS Children’s Villages in Gaza:

"SOS Children's Village Rafah has resumed work and re-opened its facilities. Some form of normality is beginning to return to the lives of the children, mothers and staff of the SOS Children's Villagein Rafah after the ceasefire was declared.

SOS staff who have been unable to reach the Village since the hostilities started more than three weeks ago, have returned to work. Also, for the first time in weeks, SOS mothers and aunties were able to leave the Village to run errands, including grocery shopping and the withdrawing of money from banks. A number of checkpoints into the Gaza Strip have opened, making it easier to secure food and other basic items for the Village.

Facilities run by SOS Children's Village in Rafah, including the Secondary School, Nursery and Social Centre that had all remained closed throughout the three weeks of violence, will re-open and resume their work with the local communities as of Tuesday. However, everyone remains cautious."

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