How did the war turn the lives of Gazans upside down?
The war has completely disrupted the lives of Gazans, according to a report on the catastrophic effects of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip
The war deprived its residents of the basic necessities of life such as food, water, and even bathrooms, turning the daily struggle to obtain them into a challenging journey. Three women in the Gaza Strip shared their testimonies on how the war imposed a new reality on them with the French news agency “AFP.”
The report states that water and food, essential requirements for life, have become difficult to obtain in Gaza since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, prompting Tel Aviv to launch a wide-scale ground operation in the region. Approximately 1.9 million people, or 85% of the population, have been displaced in Gaza since the start of the war.
AFP reported the testimonies of three women in Gaza, detailing the new and harsh reality imposed on them by the war.
The Situation is Disastrous
Dr. Noor, the only doctor, spent 38 days at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City after the war began. She was later forced to relocate to Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip and currently works in the reception and emergency department at Kuwaiti Hospital in Rafah.
Noor recounts working continuously for 38 days, stating to the French news agency, “I did not go home at all; the hospital was surrounded, so I had to evacuate on the 38th day (…) It has been more than a month.” She emphasizes the “vast difference between my previous life at home, where all the necessities of life are available, and my current situation in a strange place without food or water – a catastrophic, humanitarian, economic, and living situation.”
She mentions living in Rafah with “more than twenty people in a very small apartment; the place is not spacious for everyone. My family, including my mother, is in a UNRWA school, while the rest of my family, my grandmother, uncle, and aunt, are still in Gaza unfortunately, and communication with them is cut off; may God protect them.”
She adds, “Every day, I witness hardships I never imagined seeing. Comfort is not available; I cannot rest and sleep after work; the number of people in the house is large.”
However, she clarifies, “We are better off than others,” indicating that after leaving work, “I return home, cook with them on fire, and do the laundry when water is available.”
She notes, “We now think about food, drinks, water, charging mobile phones, and other things. Things we never thought about before. We think about how to survive.”
Noor points out that she “worked during the past two years during military escalations, but this war is different in every way,” explaining, “The duration is long, the number of martyrs and the type of injuries have never happened before due to its severity and displacement.”
She narrates that during her displacement, “I was walking in the streets in a state of shock. I did not imagine the extent of this war,” indicating that the war “has created a completely different person in each of us. We do not deserve this life; no one should live this life.”
After the war, Noor confirms that “everyone is thinking about traveling because there is nothing left in the country. No humans, no stones, no trees.”
Before the war, Noor was considering traveling to continue her studies, and now she asserts, “The war encouraged me to do so, and if I survive (…) but in the end, this is my country, and I will return to it.”
Let life return one day
Sondos Al-Bayd (32 years old), the mother of three children, asserts that her life has “turned 180 degrees” since the beginning of the war. Sondos now lives in a small tent in front of the Kuwaiti hospital in Rafah city, recalling her previous life, saying, “Our life before the war was stable and happy. Everything was in my house. I lived in an apartment in a building owned by my husband’s family. My children went to school,” noting that she misses her daily routine.
She continues, “My daily routine was waking up my children in the morning for school, preparing them, and cooking before bedtime, then drinking coffee with my husband (…) a simple and stable life. I wish it would come back.”
As for today, the married woman, married to a journalist, indicates that her displacement with her children occurred in stages, while her husband initially remained in Gaza. She explains that she stayed in Deir al-Balah for more than two weeks, but “the homeowners were afraid of my presence because my husband is a journalist, and they think journalists are targeted. I cried a lot; I didn’t know what to do,” and they asked her to leave.
Afterwards, she headed to Khan Yunis and then fled again to Rafah.
She explains, “Bathing is very difficult and with cold water. I wash in a plastic basin,” pointing out that “there is no bread. We prepare meals, but the children refuse to eat them. The food is very bad and contaminated. We rely on vegetables and some canned goods,” causing them severe digestive symptoms.
She adds, “This war has greatly exhausted us mentally. My children’s behavior has changed, and we have all become in a bad mood. We all need psychological treatment after the war.”
Sondos affirms that she and her husband have agreed to stay: “We are attached to our families. Exile is difficult, and separation from family and memories is hard.”
Sondos dreams of returning to her home, stating, “I hope we return to our home and do not have to seek refuge outside Gaza, Insha’Allah. If we return to our homes, we will travel with our children for recovery and recreation for a month or several months to restore our well-being.”
Dreams deferred
Lina, 17, currently lives in a tent with her parents, siblings, and one of her sister’s daughters. Lina, a senior in high school, had dreams of studying journalism.
She explains, “My life was so routine that I used to complain about it; the war changed everything. Now, I wish to go back to the life I didn’t appreciate.”
Lina’s family fled their home in Khan Yunis on the second day of the war. “We took pictures of our house while crying; we left for my sister’s house, but it wasn’t safe there either, so we moved to Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis.”
She recounts, “I thought we would return home after a week at most. More than seventy days have passed, and we haven’t returned yet.”
Initially, Lina refused to eat and drink “so I wouldn’t have to go to the bathroom. The bathrooms are dirty, and there are long queues,” and she fell ill several times.
Lina lost consciousness at one point, indicating that she was transferred to the emergency department.
She continues, “I never expected to live this life. In our house, we have four bathrooms,” confirming that she lost 7 kilograms of weight during this war.
Lina explains that the family survives on “eating thyme and canned food. Bread is hard to come by.”
Bathing and going to the bathroom have become “a struggle. Going to the bathroom is like a journey because the distance is far.”
She adds, crying, “I feel regret because I will lose this year of our lives, and all the students. I don’t think we will return to schools.”
She adds, “I was excited to finish school with distinction so I could travel and pursue my dream,” continuing, “all I wish for now is for everyone to return home, and for me to return to my home, and for it to still be there.”
