GAZA, April 24 (Xinhua) -- As regional and international mediation intensifies to reach a lasting ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, many Palestinians are expressing cautious hope that current diplomatic efforts will result in sustainable peace and relief for their war-affected communities.

Mohammed Abu Hajar, a 50-year-old resident of Gaza City, returned recently to what remains of his neighborhood in Tal al-Hawa. He told Xinhua that for many in Gaza, peace represents the end of hostilities and a chance to rebuild their lives.

"Before the conflict, I worked in a small photography studio. Now, nothing is left -- only broken concrete and destroyed equipment," the father of seven said. "Like any people who have endured conflict, Palestinians want stability and a normal life."

Abu Hajar believes peace is not just the absence of violence, but the restoration of fundamental rights and services.

"When we speak of peace, we mean the ability to send our children to school without fear, to go to the market without hearing drones overhead, and to visit hospitals with medicine and doctors," he said.

He added that a just peace must include recognition of the Palestinians' right to live in dignity. "If a real peace comes -- one based on justice and international law -- it will be significant for all of us. I support any initiative that respects our rights and allows us to live as human beings," he said.

Sameh al-Rafati, a 45-year-old from Gaza City, expressed similar views. A father of six and former civil servant, al-Rafati has been living in a UN-run shelter for three months following the destruction of his home in an airstrike.

"My children haven't slept in their own beds in weeks. We share a classroom with three other families," he said. "People here are exhausted; physically, emotionally, financially. We are tired of losing everything over and over again," he said.

"There is a real hunger for peace. Not just a temporary ceasefire, but peace that enables us to return home, rebuild, and live with dignity," he added.

Al-Rafati also expressed concern over the international community's response. "The silence of the world is louder than the bombs," he explained. "We hear statements from distant capitals, but we see little action to alleviate our suffering."

He emphasized the need for leadership that prioritizes people's needs.

"We need leaders who speak for the people, who understand what it means to wait in line for clean water or worry whether their child will have a meal the next day," he said.

These testimonies come amid renewed diplomatic activity involving Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, which are seeking to broker a long-term truce between Israel and Hamas.

A senior Hamas official, who requested anonymity, told Xinhua on Thursday that a delegation from the movement is preparing to travel to Cairo on Friday for discussions on the ceasefire initiative.

"Hamas is flexible and willing to engage with all efforts aimed at bringing peace and calm to the people of Gaza," the official said, noting that "this does not mean accepting any Israeli proposal that would allow a resumption of hostilities."

Currently, the two sides remain divided on key issues, including Hamas' demand for a complete end to the war and Israel's insistence on Hamas' disarmament as a condition.

Since Oct. 7, 2023, the Gaza Strip, home to over 2.2 million people, has been subjected to a large-scale Israeli military campaign, launched in response to a sudden attack carried out by Hamas on Israeli communities near Gaza.

Israeli airstrikes and ground operations have caused widespread destruction across Gaza. The Gaza-based health authorities reported on Thursday that 51,355 Palestinians have been killed and 117,248 others injured since the start of the conflict.