It's approaching a week since an unexpected but welcome ceasefire halted air strikes on Gaza, and rockets falling on Israel. SBS correspondent Luke Waters and cameraman Jeff Kehl visited Gaza to see how Palestinians have been affected by eight days of fighting between Israel and Hamas.
A ward in Gaza City's main hospital is littered with semi-conscious bombing victims, and in some ways they are the lucky ones with at least a chance to recover. Unspeakable injuries and maiming have been the norm in Gaza for a fortnight.
WATCH LUKE WATER'S REPORT HERE (VIA YOUTUBE)
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
Dr Iman Chbnni says brain injuries have been very common during the fighting.
Of all the suffering Dr Iman Chbnni has seen recently, images recorded on his phone move him deeply. One shows an 11-month old boy with burns to his entire body drawing his final breath, another shows a five-year-old girl with brain haemorrhaging.
It was a near miss for shopkeepers whose businesses are across the road from a Palestinian Ministry building which was levelled in an early assault. Amazingly, no-one was killed in the attack.
Salah Aljolo was 20 metres away when the bombs hit. He says he heard aeroplanes, explosions and then struggled to breathe as smoke engulfed the shopping precinct.
But in Gaza City, life goes on.
“In spite of all this bombing, we say we are victorious. Why? Because we are still in our land,” says Gaza City resident Soheil Mohommad Shanti. “We didn't leave - no force can get us to leave now!”
Many Gazans say they are focused on the future and they hope sustained peace will one day prevail.
