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When Arij al-Farra heard that Hamas had partially agreed to Donald Trump's plan and that the United States had instructed Israel to cease bombing in Gaza, her initial response was a flicker of hope. Moments after that, she felt an blast. An Israeli warplane had dropped a munition near her shelter in Khan Younis.

While chance spared al-Farra from death, she interpreted the incident as an unfavorable sign for ceasefire prospects in the territory.

"I feel like we are caught in a cycle with no way out. Regardless of Hamas accepts or not, we are still unsafe. There has been no reduction in bombing raids, not a single warplane has left from the sky," explained the 23-year-old educator who had been displaced to Khan Younis.

Al-Farra was not alone in her skepticism regarding recent announcement that Hamas's partial acceptance of the American plan would lead to an end to the long-running war in Gaza.

Hamas's decision to free all captives and relinquish authority was praised by Trump and much of the global community as a important move toward resolution.

However the residents of Gaza have endured comparable circumstances previously.

On multiple occasions, the US president has promised that a ceasefire was days away, only for negotiations to abruptly fail. Israel broke a month-and-a-half pause at the beginning of the year when it independently chose to restart hostilities in March and blockade the region, creating famine in areas of Gaza, according to prominent humanitarian authorities.

"I hold little hope in this deal, because every time we near a ceasefire, something occurs that alters the course of plans," al-Farra clarified.

Despite these concerns, some could not help but believe that this situation might ultimately lead to an conclusion to the war that has killed more than 67,000 people, wounded about 170,000 more, and left most of Gaza in ruins.

"I am optimistic and anticipate that this occasion the deal will be more serious than previous ones," said Abu Faris, a middle-aged media professional living in the northern part of the territory. "A breakthrough in the truce agreement would be a positive development. It would satisfy the demands of the local population and provide civilians in northern Gaza a sense of optimism and safety."

If fully enacted, Trump's plan to end the fighting in Gaza would be deeply disadvantageous to Hamas and additional militant groups.

"There is a feeling of mistrust because this initiative was drafted by US officials and the conflict itself has persisted with evident American support. The proposal clearly serves Israel's objectives and lacks any substantial provisions for the Palestinian people," observed Dr. Ashraf Maghari, a 48-year-old professor at the Islamic University.

But, for most of the exhausted inhabitants of Gaza, neither politics nor the continuation of Hamas was the main concern.

"My priority now is to stop the conflict entirely. If Hamas has to sacrifice itself to accomplish that, then it must bear the results of its actions," stated Abu Faris.

He had already experienced the death of many of his family members in the hostilities, and had been displaced four times, on every occasion returning to find his residence further destroyed. He could stand to lose even more if hostilities did not cease quickly, as he was in the northern region, where military strikes are severe.

Multiple international organizations, including a United Nations inquiry, various human rights groups, and leading atrocity scholars have determined that Israel has committed atrocities in Gaza. Israel rejects the accusation and claims it has only acted in self-protection. It originally launched the military campaign on Gaza after Hamas-led fighters killed approximately 1,200 people and took 251 hostages in an assault on October 7.

Neither Abu Faris nor al-Farra believed that Israel would engage in talks an conclusion to the war in good faith, nor that it would result in self-determination for Palestinians. For al-Farra especially, the prospect of disarmament was a worrying issue.

However, if it led to an end to the almost relentless shelling of their communities, each expressed that the agreement would be acceptable.

"Stopping the conflict for me is not about abandoning our demands. It is about having a deep breath, reorganising our lives, our lives, our goals and our thoughts," al-Farra concluded.