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VICE News

Rockets and Revenge

During last week's ceasefire, many Gaza residents attempted to flee across the Rafah border gate with Egypt, while others returned home to completely devastated neighborhoods.

As the 72-hour humanitarian ceasefire entered its second and third days last week, the people of Gaza used the lull in fighting to take stock of the destruction, flee the fighting, and demonstrate their defiance.

VICE News correspondent Henry Langston traveled to the Rafah border gate with Egypt, where hundreds of Gazans and Egyptians alike attempted to flee. With only two bus loads making the trip each day, however, many left disappointed and were forced to return the following day.

Meanwhile, in the towns of Shejaiya and Khuza'a, residents returned to neighborhoods completely devastated by the fighting.

As the ceasefire entered its last 24 hours, Hamas organized a demonstration in the center of Gaza City. Thousands converged from different mosques across the city, waving Hamas flags as kids with toy guns and grenades rode on their fathers' shoulders. Abu Ubaida, the spokesman for the military wing of Hamas, said in a speech that evening that if Israel refused to reopen Gaza's port, rockets would once again threaten the people of Israel.