The courtyard of Um Ihab’s family home in Jabalya, northern Gaza, once bloomed with citrus trees. On most weekends, dozens of relatives would gather for a birthday party or a university graduation. The Palestinian grandmother would decorate the house with gold streamers and multi-colored balloons, as white confetti poured from the ceiling.
However, when an Israeli airstrike demolished the house last winter, at least 30 members of the Ihab family were forced to flee the neighborhood where three generations had lived. Now, they are staying in a cramped tent in the yard of a displacement shelter in Deir al-Balah, in central Gaza. Um Ihab expressed the devastation, stating, “The land was swept away. Not even one tree stayed up.”
During the six months of war in Gaza, Israel’s military offensive has decimated neighborhoods, drained essential supplies, and caused severe hunger and thirst among the Palestinian population. Many have sought refuge in outdoor tent camps, where access to food and water is a daily struggle.
For elderly Gazans who have endured a lifetime of conflict, the recent fighting has only added to their years of suffering under partial blockade. Instead of celebrating life, they find themselves mourning the loss of loved ones and homes.
Um Ihab and others like her are fighting to keep their families together amidst the chaos. However, their advanced age and declining health make the challenge of daily survival even more daunting.
