It’s hard to imagine the kind of pain that comes with wishing you were dead. But in Gaza, many survivors are feeling exactly that. After months of violence, hunger, and homelessness, some are saying it’s the dead who are lucky—they don’t have to see the destruction anymore.

Take Mohammed Alshannat, a scholar from Gaza who once dreamed of peace between Arabs and Jews. Now, he’s burying his loved ones and trying to make sense of the chaos. “Our beloved Gaza is gone,” he wrote in a heartbreaking message. Surviving feels like a curse, not a blessing. He’s not alone in this despair. Families are setting up tents on the rubble of their homes, trying to rebuild lives that feel shattered beyond repair.

The recent ceasefire has brought some relief, but it’s a fragile pause, not a solution. Hamas remains in power, and hostages are still being held. Meanwhile, thousands of Palestinian children have lost limbs, and hundreds of aid workers have been killed. The International Criminal Court has even issued arrest warrants for leaders on both sides, accusing them of war crimes.

For all the destruction, what has this war achieved? Hamas is weakened but not gone. Israel hasn’t fully dismantled the group or freed all hostages. And the U.S., despite its talk of international rules, has funded much of the violence with billions in weapons. The dream of lasting peace in the Middle East feels further away than ever.

As the rubble settles, the question remains: When will the world stop repeating the same mistakes and start finding a way forward? For now, the people of Gaza are left to mourn and wonder if anything will change.