Gaza diary part 42: ‘In hard times, being kind is one of the most difficult things to do’

‘I think of the many flowers I have received and gifted throughout the years.’ A child in Rafah smells roses bought from a boy selling them, 21 January. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images

Saturday 13 January

8.30am We hear a lot of noises outside, almost every member of our hosting family and the other families staying here are moving around. I get worried, did something bad happen? During the seconds that it takes my sister to go and open the door to see what is happening, my panicking mind goes through a whole plan: I will take this bag, we will get the cats. We cannot take anything else, no time to put shoes on.