Who won, and who triumphed?

The war in Gaza has ended—or so they thought. The planes stopped flying, the roar of cannons went silent, yet the city did not sleep. From beneath the rubble, people emerged as if awakening life itself, which the world believed had died. They returned, carrying their homeland in their hearts before carrying their belongings.

The world witnessed a scene it did not expect: men sweeping dust off thresholds, women washing stones with the water of Gaza’s sea, and children running among the ruins searching for a lost ball—or for a book not yet burned. Within hours, destruction turned into movement, death into labor, and ruin into willpower. It was a miracle of humanity by every measure, as if Gaza itself had risen from the grave declaring: “Here I am, alive again.”

More than sixty thousand were martyred, over one hundred and forty thousand wounded, and thousands of homes destroyed—yet the survivors did not wait for aid, nor for excuses from those who betrayed and abandoned them. They returned to the remnants of their homes, rebuilding with bare hands, as though the stones themselves kissed their palms and said: “You are the true stones, by your steadfastness, not I.”

They planted seeds of hope amidst the wreckage. This march toward life astonished the world, just as their endurance under total devastation had done before. What others saw as “return,” the people of Gaza saw as victory—as reclaiming their stolen right.

In the Arabic language—which distinguishes meanings so precisely—fawz (victory) and nasr (triumph) are not the same.

Fawz is deliverance: to emerge from the fire with your soul intact, even if your body burns—to preserve your dignity even if your home is gone. Nasr is conquest: to overcome your enemy and impose your will. Fawz saves the self; nasr conquers the foe.
And Gaza—by the balance of language and justice—won because it survived, and triumphed because it endured.

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They had no aircraft, no tanks, no supplies, no alliances—nothing but faith that land does not die so long as hearts beat within it. From its soil they were created; they are the earth, the rubble, the wreckage—and yet they returned like surging waves racing time toward a better tomorrow.

Gaza raised no weapon mightier than patience, no banner higher than hope.
God Almighty said: “How many a small group has overcome a mighty host by Allah’s permission.” Its victory came from God alone, not from the arms of men. The enemy lost more than it imagined it gained. It lost its image before the world, while Palestine’s flag and Gaza’s dance spread across the earth—east and west.

Every free soul in the world became “from Gaza,” no matter their color, faith, sect, or language. Gaza now holds a passport not issued by any government or authority—its name is Victory. It is carried by every free and noble person, requiring no visa, no permission.

Gaza now beats in the streets of the world’s greatest cities, in its stadiums and assemblies, and on its most powerful media platforms. The enemy lost control of the narrative, stunned by the shift of roles and the collapse of balances it had spent decades and fortunes maintaining. The helm is no longer in its hands—the ship is steered by the free people of the world.

That is God’s victory—when He wills to grant it, for to Him belong the soldiers of the heavens and the earth. And as for Gaza— It won, because it returned, and returning itself is victory.
It won, because its steadfastness compelled politics to bow, because its people chose rebuilding over weeping, action over lamentation, and hope over despair. By God—it is truly a scene of victory and a clear conquest. Who won? And who triumphed? By God, they won because they did not surrender, and triumphed because they did not bow—despite the world’s betrayal.

They were deprived even of water, yet did not flee. They were meant to be displaced, yet stayed. Their homes were burned, yet they did not break. Their resistance was besieged, yet it did not retreat. They were silenced, yet they did not fall silent. They did not… they did not… and they will not—to infinity, in steadfastness and honor.

So, do you still ask: Who won, and who triumphed?

Translated from Al-Sharq, 14 October 2015

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