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Gaza City – For many in Gaza, US President Donald Trump’s recent threats feel like nothing more than a justification for further violence and collective punishment against them.

Late on Wednesday, Trump had threatened the people of Gaza, saying they would all be “dead” if captives continued to be held there.

As Gaza continues to grapple with the devastating aftermath of war – mass displacement, widespread destruction, and dire humanitarian conditions – people are exhausted and sceptical about international efforts to resolve the war.

Al Jazeera spoke to Palestinians in northern Gaza about Trump’s threats.

‘Nothing left to grieve’

Yasser al-Sharafa, 59, at his roadside stand selling candies and snacks in Remal, central Gaza City [Abdelhakim Abu Riash/Al Jazeera]

Yasser al-Sharafa, 59, said he ignores these threats because, like many in Gaza, he has “nothing left to lose”.

Now, he runs a makeshift stand selling candy and snacks to children.

Before, he said: “I used to be a well-known clothing merchant. I had a large shop, a six-storey building, a car, and stock warehouses in Tel al-Hawa in Gaza City. All those years of hard work vanished, destroyed in the war.

“Everywhere you look is destruction, ruin, and misery. Is there anything left for us to grieve?

“Trump or whoever, it makes no difference.”

Displaced southwards during the war, al-Sharafa and his family returned to the north after the ceasefire began, only to find a devastated area where life is barely possible.

“Even if we hand over the captives, nothing will change. The war might return at any moment under a new pretext they come up with. We’ve lost trust in the entire world.”

‘Is Gaza the root of the world’s problems?’

Jamila Mahmoud, 62, rejects Trump’s threats, considering them psychological warfare [Abdelhakim Abu Riash/Al Jazeera]

Jamila Mahmoud, 62, did not hear Trump’s exact words, but some of her family members discussed it on Thursday morning.

“As you see, we’re completely cut off from everything. No internet, no electricity, no means of communication,” she said.

Mahmoud believes Trump’s threats are part of a psychological war aimed at forcing people out of Gaza.

“Every time, there’s a new scenario – sometimes, it’s talk of forced displacement; sometimes, it’s Israel taking over Gaza; and today, it’s threats to all of Gaza’s residents over the captives.”

“Has Gaza suddenly become the root of all the world’s problems?” she asked.

Mahmoud insists that no matter what happens, she will never give up her right to live in Gaza, her homeland.

“I will remain on my land, even if it’s just the rubble of my home, no matter what,” she affirmed.

‘No one’s standing by us’

Ayman Abu Dayyeh, 60, wants Hamas to hand over the captives and end the war [Abdelhakim Abu Riash/Al Jazeera]

Ayman Abu Dayyeh, walking home with a few food items for his family, told Al Jazeera he just wants “Hamas to prioritise the public interest right now – to accept a deal, negotiate, and hand over the captives so this endless nightmare can finally end.”

“This is the only reasonable option … our position is weak, and no one’s standing by us,” the 60-year-old added.

But he does doubt that handing over the captives will not end the war for Trump and Israel, although it may make a future war less devastating.

“I believe the American people will reject these threats. They won’t accept their country leading another genocidal war,” Abu Dayyeh said.

“We’ve lost 50,000 people. Two of my sons were killed in this war – in October and December 2023 – two young men in their prime. I lost my home, too. We’ve had enough loss and suffering,” he added.

“The Arab states are silent, and the Europeans are silent. How can we continue fighting without any supporters? We’ll be the only victims.”

‘Leave us alone’

Wael Abu Ahmed, 75, from Sheikh Radwan in northern Gaza City, said he was surprised by Trump’s threats.

“What do we have left in Gaza? We’ve witnessed horrors in this war – haven’t they done enough?” he asked, sitting on a roadside curb.

“Trump’s statements carry no weight or value. I think he’s just making threats to pressure Hamas. The only thing left for them to do is wipe us out entirely,” he added.

Ahmed, a retired bureaucrat and father of five, now lives with his children and grandchildren in a single apartment after their house was repeatedly targeted during Israel’s war.

He had refused to evacuate to the south and remained in northern Gaza with his family until the ceasefire.

“I’ve lived more years than I have left. I stayed in my home and said: ‘I will die here no matter what.’

“Leave us alone. Let us face the disaster that has befallen us – or kill us all and put us out of our misery. That’s all I have left to say,” he concluded, walking away.

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