Normalcy Returns to Parts of Gaza

Apparent normalcy returned to Gaza as the 72-hour truce between Israel and the Palestinians entered its second day. Talks are still on in Cairo between negotiators representing the two sides who are seeking to reach an agreement to end this bloodshed that began more than a month ago, July 8.

According to Reuters, an Israeli official said that the talks have made little progress so far. "The gaps between the sides are big and there is no progress in the negotiations," said the Israeli official.

Another official echoed the same, saying: "So far we can't say a breakthrough has been achieved ... Twenty-four hours and we shall see whether we have an agreement," The Jerusalem Post reports.

Hamas, the Islamist group that dominates Gaza, made no immediate comment on the issue.

Since Egypt brokered a three-day ceasefire for a second time, Gaza has remained quiet. Since the beginning of the operation, 1940 Palestinians and 67 Israelis have been killed.

The violence-hit coastal region, which is home to as many as 1.8 million Palestinians, witnessed a close-to-normal day; shops and businesses reopened and people were seen moving around on streets without fear of airstrikes.

A number of cars and donkey carts could be seen waiting outside a UN-run school to transport some refugees back to their homes, or where their homes used to be. These refugees had fled their homes in fear of being targeted when full-fledged fighting was on.

"We want to go back to see what happened to our house," said Hikmat Atta (58), who had taken refuge in the school along with his family, climbed on a small cart to return to their home in the northern town of Beit Lahiya, Ahram Online reports.

However, Atta added that since the negotiators are far from reaching a consensus during the second truce, he doesn't want to take any chances.

"We're just going back for the day, at night we'll come back here," Atta told AFP.