Voices from Gaza: Meet three women whose lives radically changed a year ago

Noor

“I never imagined that my children and I would live through this war. My only nephew, aged 33, was killed before our eyes as we walked the streets,” says Noor.

The trauma of these horrific events had a grave impact on Noor. And after two months, she had no choice but to flee south with her children and her sister's family. In search for safety.

But the reality of displacement has been bleak.

Living with anxiety

“After having lived in my house, with my trees, and my garden. I live in a tent, in a tent with no means of life. I cannot sleep due to the barking of dogs all night long, alongside the psychological anxiety I live with,” Noor says and explains and the harsh conditions:

“For a year we have survived only on canned food, as have all the families. We have moved to a worse physical and psychological state than one could imagine, and this is my condition,” she says, highlighting that the needs of Palestinian aid workers are the same as the communities they serve.

The scale of displacement is overwhelming. Nearly 2 million people are living in displacement in dire conditions with little access to basic necessities.

Forced to drink salty water

“Sometimes we are forced to drink salty water due to the lack of fresh water and our inability to buy it. A large number of families have no sources of income,” Noor says.

Through it all, her message remains consistent. Palestinians, like everyone else, deserve the right to live in dignity.

“For just one minute, look at your children and imagine them as our children, what would you say when faced with this question from your children, 'Why is this happening to us?' Why are we being killed? Why are we being destroyed? Why are we being displaced?’” 

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Rania

"No one expected the brutal attack that happened," Rania recalls and describes the moment she was forced to leave Gaza City with her family.

"Honestly, what really broke us was the children. The safety of our children was in our hands, and we had to leave to protect them."

Displaced several times

The displacement Rania and her family experienced became a cycle of constant upheaval.

"We've been displaced four times between Gaza, Nuseirat, and Rafah. We hope from God that we won't have to leave again because it's enough," she says and thinking about her children:

"Their lives turned upside down. The child who was once comfortable now has to queue for water, sacrificing time for studies and courses. Our lives truly turned upside down."

Rania’s story is just one of many in Gaza, where families have been repeatedly displaced, struggling to adapt to an ever-worsening situation.

No stability, no safety

And the psychological trauma has also been profound. Rania describes the relentless fear and anxiety that accompany life in Gaza.

"There was always a feeling of instability. At any moment, there could be an escalation. It made us feel that there was no stability, no safety," Rania says.

When the 2023 bombardment began, the scale of the attacks left the community in shock.

"The thing that affected us the most during the war was the increasing attacks, on an unprecedented escalating scale. Where the last bombardment ended, the next one would begin." 

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Fatima

“We left in October with some clothes thinking we would return again. A light suitcase with only a few shirts and trousers for me and my son,” Fatima says and didn't know it would last for a whole year.

Living amidst the violence comes with immense hardships, with daily necessities being incredibly hard to come by.

“Water, you can't get water"

"There are long queues of girls, young men, and men to get water, to get bread. This is a big difficulty in our lives, and it has greatly affected our lives. Half the time, we are just sending our children, some to get water, some to get food, some to go to places to get coupons, and so on. This is how life has become”.

Fatima lost nine members of her family in one airstrike, and countless more friends and relatives.

“During my displacement in Nuseirat, my brother and some of my nephews were killed. Nine members of my family were killed.” And the devastating loss has had a grave impact on Fatima:

“Every day, we hear of the death of a relative or friend, and this honestly caused a kind of setback for me, and I felt like I wanted to isolate myself from the whole world. This is very painful for me.”

Constant fear of dying

Fatima is also forced to live in a state of constant fear, that she may also be killed.

“I don't feel safe. Yes, I'm in a concrete room, but all the time, day and night, the aircraft are above us, the sound of the drones is very loud, it fills you with dread and fear that at any moment, I could be among the dead.”

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