Hyderabad: As the Middle East tensions still linger on despite a two-week ceasefire between the United States, Israel and Iran, residents of Hyderabad’s Old City celebrated the announcement by distributing sweets on Wednesday.

Locals in Darulshifa expressed relief and happiness after several weeks of death and destruction in the region. “We are happy that tensions are reducing. We pray this ceasefire leads to lasting peace,” said a local resident.

The war, which began on February 28, has now entered its sixth week, killing more than 5,000 people across nearly a dozen countries, including over 1,600 civilians in Iran, according to official and human rights estimates.