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Gazans abroad eager to visit, but unready to move home

Although the burgeoning reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah has given hope to thousands of Palestinians, Gazans abroad remain cautious about resettling in the Gaza Strip.
Head of Hamas delegation Saleh Arouri and Fatah leader Azzam Ahmad sign a reconciliation deal in Cairo, Egypt, October 12, 2017. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh     TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY - RC12E7E090C0

The tens of thousands of Palestinians from Gaza who have been living abroad for decades are looking forward to returning — but are not sure if they are ready to go back for good.

Wafa’a Abdel Rahman, a leading Gaza activist living in the West Bank, told Al-Monitor that she is cautiously optimistic about the Palestinian reconciliation and is excited to visit. “We can now say that we have reached at least an agreement to manage the division, but it will take a couple of years for people to be sure that we are on the right track in Gaza.”

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