A situation that has not fundamentally changed
Despite periods of ceasefire, the situation in Gaza has not significantly improved, Cecilia Uddén noted. While large-scale bombardments may have decreased, people are still being killed on a daily basis and living conditions remain extremely difficult.
She described how Israel has expanded the area it controls in Gaza, leaving a population of around two million people increasingly concentrated in a much smaller space, often under precarious conditions such as tent camps.
“Gaza has in many ways become the symbol of the collapse of the old world order.”
At the political level, several proposed solutions have failed to materialise. A technocratic leadership has not taken over governance, and an international stabilisation force has yet to arrive, Cecilia Uddén said, pointing to growing doubts that such initiatives will be implemented at all.
Reconstruction without resources
Reconstruction is widely discussed, but little has actually begun, according to Uddén. She referred to estimates suggesting that rebuilding Gaza could cost tens of billions of dollars, with most homes destroyed.
Yet even when food is available, people often lack the means to prepare it, she explained, due to shortages of fuel, cooking gas and other basic resources.
Through accounts from contacts on the ground, she described how daily life continues to be shaped by shortages, insecurity and deteriorating living conditions.
Reporting without access
Because foreign journalists have largely been unable to enter Gaza, much of the reporting depends on local colleagues, Cecilia Uddén said. These accounts provide insight not only into the violence but also into everyday life during the war.
At the same time, she emphasised that reporting under such circumstances poses significant challenges. Journalists must constantly question and verify the material they receive, particularly when they are unable to witness events directly.
Deepening divisions
The war has also intensified polarisation, both within the region and internationally, Cecilia Uddén suggested. Narratives differ sharply, and many people struggle to engage with perspectives outside their own.
She pointed to how the events of 7 October 2023 continue to shape perceptions in Israel, while the scale of destruction and loss in Gaza has become a defining reality for Palestinians.
More broadly, she argued that the violence has deepened divisions and eroded trust, making prospects for reconciliation increasingly distant.
“I’m not sure there will be much light at the end of the tunnel.”
An uncertain future
Looking ahead, Cecilia Uddén described a sense of exhaustion and uncertainty among people in Gaza. Many are struggling to see a way forward, both in terms of political developments and their immediate living conditions.
Whatever happens next, she suggested, the events of the past years have created divisions that will be difficult to overcome.
Facts
Event: CMES Seminar: What is going to happen in Gaza?
Date: 8 May 2026
Time: 13:15–14:30
Location: Eden Auditorium, Allhelgona kyrkogata 14, Lund
Speaker: Cecilia Uddén, Middle East Correspondent, Sveriges Radio
