BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — A ceasefire deal in the Middle East has brought hope to communities worldwide, including residents in Bakersfield who are cautiously optimistic about the prospect of ending the war in Gaza.
Rabbi Jonathon Klein of Temple Beth El in northeast Bakersfield stayed up late Sunday night watching television coverage of families being reunited after months of separation.
"I went to bed all too late last night watching the footage of Israelis hugging their sons and people, two twins, the Berman brothers, reunited after all these months, all these years apart, both being held hostage, just miraculous that we're out of that state of affairs," Klein said.
The feelings were similar for Khalid Mansour, a Palestinian and general manager of Blue Fig Farms international grocery store. Monday's news brought joy, as the war in Gaza over the last two years has affected everyone.
"There isn't one Palestinian that live abroad that is not affected by it, whether by family members by just being a Palestinian itself so being affected by what's going on every Palestinian is affected by what's going on back home," Mansour said. "Everybody's happy that a ceasefire now exists, thanks to President Donald Trump, we have a ceasefire between the Israelis and the Palestinians. Being a Palestinian, a ceasefire is very important because, look, nobody on both sides would like to see people being murdered on both sides."
Dozens of ceasefires have been signed before in the Middle East, only to have them crumble and war break out again. But both men, like many others, are hopeful that this is a sign of better days to come.
"Hopefully, the peace will remain. Hopefully, we won't see any future conflicts, and both sides could happily live together side by side," Mansour said.
"We're going to get there. Today is a major step forward in getting there. So let's keep working at it and find a way for us to coexist and to celebrate one another rather than to have to fight each other," Klein said.
The ceasefire, brokered by the Trump administration, marks the third ceasefire in this conflict since its beginning on October 7, 2023, with the world looking on in hopes it's the last.
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