“Promise we will rebuild it.”

This is what the children and youth of Gaza carve onto the walls of their destroyed schools, homes, and buildings. They cling to the hope that the war will end and a day of peace will come, allowing them to rebuild what was lost. Their hope remains unshaken, and rightly so—they will rise again.

But what has brought them to this devastating situation? What mental state has pushed them to think this way, especially the children? Imagine their condition, witnessing everything shattered before their eyes—their schools, their childhood, their friends, their families, and so much more.

 The current state of children in Gaza is so harrowing that even putting it into words feels overwhelming. Just type “Gaza children” into Google, and the results are heartbreaking, declaring that Gaza has turned into a graveyard for its children.

Stories emerge of two-year-olds, five-year-olds, and entire families lost, while some never even got the chance to be born. The situation is so dire that countless children are left homeless, hungry, and forced to survive on the sands by the sea, with no shelter and no relief in sight.

On top of that, as temperatures continue to drop, they don’t even have spare clothes to change into, let alone warm clothing. How can they possibly endure the freezing cold and the icy sea breeze without any protection? For the children of Gaza, the only thing they have to sleep on or cover themselves with is the cold, harsh sand.

Sand, Starvation, and Suffering

Currently, 95% of Gaza’s population is facing starvation—an almost unimaginable crisis not caused by any natural disaster but by human actions. First, airstrikes destroyed families in Gaza, reduced homes to rubble, and left people homeless, forcing them to sleep under open skies. Now, humanitarian aid is being blocked at borders, deliberately creating a state of famine.

The situation is so dire that when displaced, hungry Palestinians receive flour, they rush to grab it in desperation. Even the flour spilled on the ground during the chaos is picked up by children and carefully gathered into bags to take home.

Even when these displaced children manage to bring home some flour, many times the strong waves of the sea wash it away, as Gaza’s civilians, living on the bare ground, struggle to protect their meager food from the elements. The little flour they manage to salvage often becomes wet and unusable.

Each day is a relentless fight for survival. Children, driven by hunger, wander through the ruins, searching for anything edible.

They search through rubble, stand in long queues for aid that may never arrive, and walk for miles with empty stomachs, hoping to find scraps of food to keep themselves and their families alive. For them, survival has become a daily battle against hunger, despair, and an unyielding sense of loss.

Tonight, many of us will sleep on comfortable beds, wrapped in blankets, with our heads resting on pillows. But the innocent children of Gaza, who have no connection to this war and have committed no crime, are forced to sleep on the streets or unprotected sand.

You might think, “Many people sleep on the streets in other countries, too, don’t they?” But the situation here is different. In other places, even the poorest who sleep on the streets can access drinking water and food to survive.

If they fall sick, government hospitals provide them with medicine and treatment. If they contract a contagious disease, they can still receive care. But what is the reality in Gaza today? There’s no water, food, hospitals, ambulances, and doctors available to provide even basic treatment. This is the harsh truth they face every single day.

Gaza in Numbers

The Israeli army has destroyed over 700 water wells, leaving Gaza in a dire water crisis. Across the region, each person now has access to only 1.5 to 1.8 liters (51 to 61 ounces) of water per day—barely enough to survive. Meanwhile, over 1.7 million people have been infected with contagious diseases due to unsanitary living conditions and the lack of clean water.

The relentless attacks have not spared Gaza’s healthcare system. Continuous bombardments have destroyed over 600 hospitals, leaving the sick and injured with nowhere to turn. 

The situation is worsened by the devastating loss of medical personnel—at least 986 healthcare workers have been killed, including 165 doctors, 260 nurses, 184 health associates, 76 pharmacists, and 300 management and support staff.

Stats source

Thousands of children in Gaza are trapped in a state of mental shock and fear. They live with constant questions weighing on their young minds: Will I see tomorrow’s sunrise? Will there be food to eat tomorrow? Will I have to stand in long lines again just to get a small piece of bread? Can I even play today?

At an age when they should be playing and laughing, they are forced to witness destruction and endure unimaginable suffering. They don’t know how long this war will continue, what more horrors they’ll have to see, or how many more days they’ll have to sleep under clouds of smoke, on cold sand, and beneath the open sky. Even their innocent hearts carry the heavy burden of uncertainty and fear.

Gaza has been under attack by Israel for over 350 days now, and there are no signs of the war coming to an end anytime soon.

The war has been so brutal to the people of Gaza that they are left without food, water, and essential medical care needed for survival.

Beyond lacking these necessities, which are even more devastating, they have no homes to protect them.

The UN reports that 85% of Gaza’s population, totaling 1.9 million civilians, has been forcibly displaced due to Israel’s military operations.

The genocide by Israel has been so ruthless that they are bombing shelters, hospitals, and even areas where people have sought refuge in tents.

Thus, people are forcefully taking shelter on the brink of the sea. The conditions for those living by the water are dire, with their makeshift tents offering little protection from the heat and cold.

The Winter is Approaching in Gaza

The Gaza Strip experiences winters from December to March. With the location on the shore and minimal protection,  this winter is likely to be extremely harsh for the refugees living there.

Currently, during the day, they are building sand walls to protect themselves from high tides and prevent water from entering their tents.

But at night, the sand walls become useless. With the high tides rising after dark, water floods their tents, sweeping away whatever little they managed to save while escaping the war. 

What makes it even more heartbreaking is the rising tides that cause dozens of tents to sink into the sea, leaving families with nowhere to go.

Right now, the people of Gaza have sought refuge on the beaches of Khan Yunus and Bahar Al Wusqa. These areas are notorious for their high tides, making the situation even more dangerous.

“It was the worst night I’ve ever witnessed. The water was so deep last night, with massive waves reaching six meters high. There are still many children in the water.” — A survivor who endured the high tide on Khan Yunus beach.

As the waves flood the tents at night while people sleep, many belongings are swept away by the water, and tragically, it often carries small children with it.

With nowhere else to go, they are left battling the elements, the sea, and the endless uncertainty of what tomorrow might bring. 

What will be even more catastrophic are the upcoming winter months. The bitter cold, combined with the relentless sea breeze, will make survival even harder for those with little to protect them. 

With freezing winds from the sea ahead and death and destruction haunting them from behind in the city, the people of Gaza will face a season that may bring even more suffering than the war itself.

Mothers will struggle to keep their children warm with nothing but thin blankets and broken tents. The elderly, already weak, will find it nearly impossible to endure the biting cold. 

Each night, the temperature will drop, and the fear of not making it through till morning will hang over every family. 

The sea, which has already claimed so much, will become even more dangerous as the harsh winter storms roll in, threatening to wash away what little remains of their shelters.

With no escape, no warmth, and no safety, this winter could be the most brutal test of their resilience yet.

More Struggle Ahead of Stchoring Winters for Gaza Survivals

Winter is nearing, but it’s uncertain if those currently living in tents will survive through it.

The Israeli army is now attacking the very places where people have set up tents. Even refugee shelters are under bombardment. The people of Gaza don’t know where to go anymore.

There’s nowhere in Gaza where people haven’t been forced to take refuge. Conditions have worsened to the point where people are building tents in rubble, saying the area is already destroyed and no one will return here. For now, people are taking shelter in the ruins of broken homes.

The real question is, how are they surviving? After October 7, 2023, the last oil shipment arrived in Gaza, and since then, oil, gas, and other natural resources have been cut off.

Hospitals have no electricity for ventilators, no oxygen cylinders, and no clean water.

Death could come from any direction at any moment. For the people of Gaza, it’s a choice between falling into a pit or drowning in a well.

In the face of such relentless destruction, it is crucial for international bodies like the UN and humanitarian organizations to take immediate action. This is no longer a regional conflict but a full-scale humanitarian crisis that demands urgent attention. 

Now, with Israel extending its aggression toward Lebanon, the situation is spiraling out of control. Lebanon’s involvement in supporting Gaza has only escalated tensions, and there is no telling how far the destruction will spread. 

For the sake of humanity, the global community must intervene now. The UN and international leaders must pressure for an immediate ceasefire and create safe humanitarian corridors to provide food, water, and medical aid. 

It’s time for the world to act, not just watch from the sidelines. This genocide must stop before Gaza is wiped off the map completely. 

Silence is no longer an option—every second counts. Lives are at stake, and the people of Gaza need the world’s help before it’s too late.

“It’s a suffering I wouldn’t wish upon any woman” — Nada Abdelasalem, a Gaza war survivor. 

It’s been over 11 months since Israel invaded Gaza, and the situation continues to go from bad to worse.

The war has not only impacted lives but has deeply shaken humanity, especially when women and children are specifically targeted.

UN Women estimates that 70% of the total casualties in the Gaza war are women and children, with 10,000 women among the dead, including 6,000 mothers who have left behind 19,000 orphaned children. 

Unfortunately, for the women who are surviving, their existence feels no different from being trapped in a living coffin. They might wish they had been killed in the invasion instead.

Since the Onset of Israel – Gaza War…

The women in the war-affected region are helpless. They are crushed under mountains of sorrow. 

First, there is the unbearable pain of losing their children. Then, for some, it’s the grief of losing a brother; for others, their parents, and for many, their husbands. 

On top of all this, they have no roof over their heads, and they are forced to live in refugee camps without access to clean water, food, or basic hygiene. 

The weight of these tragedies is overwhelming, leaving them with little hope and unimaginable suffering.

The lack of necessities for survival has impacted their overall well-being and dignity. 

“We lived in a cozy three-bedroom apartment with a kitchen, built by my husband after years of hard work in construction. But when the war erupted, we lost everything, including my five-month pregnancy. 

We are forced to live in a single tent, with toilets that aren’t even enclosed by four walls. I can’t shower regularly to maintain proper hygiene. I feel like my privacy is constantly being violated.” — Reham conflict survivor. 

The situation for women in Gaza is so dire that they don’t even have extra clothes to change into. Many were forced to flee their homes wearing only the clothes on their backs.

“I wear a prayer robe for everything – to sleep in, to go out,” — Nada, a war-torn victim. 

The situation is even worse, as nearly 1 million women and children now have almost no food, clean water, restrooms, and sanitary pads. It has created a poor environment, as diseases spread rapidly in these unbearable living conditions.

The Doors of Aid Are Almost Closed

What could be worse than all of this? Sadly, for the women of Gaza, their suffering goes even deeper as they endure conditions even more horrific than what has already been described.

According to the World Health Organization and UN agencies, there have been 117 attacks on Gaza’s health infrastructure since the war began. 

These attacks have led to the closure of 64% of primary healthcare centers, and half of the hospitals are now non-operational.

The most heartbreaking aspect of this situation is that every day, 150 women in Gaza give birth to a child. With fuel, medicine, water, and health supplies rapidly diminishing, women are forced to give birth without anesthesia. 

“The war turned our lives upside down,” Etemad Assaf says, rubbing the clothes with her hand.

“Every night, I feel like I’m going to give birth now because I’m so tired.”

“You see? Is this a suitable life for a pregnant woman? A tent, cold, open air, and the lack of the necessities of life?”

Additionally, it is estimated that 15% of these pregnant women experience birth complications, requiring basic or comprehensive obstetric care. Sadly, several women have reported dying during or before giving birth to a child. 

Furthermore, according to a survey, around 50,000 women are currently pregnant, and more than 690,000 menstruating women and girls have limited access to menstrual hygiene products.

Help for diseases is a distant thought; right now, the condition of women in Gaza is so dire that they don’t even have access to basic medical facilities.

Being Women in Gaza 

For women in Gaza, it feels like they are forced to endure the constant fear of death every day—whether from bombings, the lack of healthcare resources, or the unbearable grief of losing their loved ones.

Survival is becoming increasingly difficult with each passing day, especially for women who are pregnant or have recently given birth. 

Many areas are grappling with severe hunger and food shortages, which makes it even more challenging for women to care for their children and newborns. Many have lost their breadwinners and are now relying solely on humanitarian aid to survive.

Finding milk for their children has become nearly impossible, and providing basic nutrition is a constant struggle. 

As the situation worsens, these women are forced to make heartbreaking choices, trying to sustain their families with whatever little they can find. 

The lack of food, medical care, and safety is pushing them to the brink, with no end in sight to their suffering.

Their only hope for improvement lies in the end of the war and the continuous flow of humanitarian aid and essential resources. Without peace and consistent support, their struggle for survival will only grow more desperate.

Despite the lack of sustainability and safe access, the UN has dispatched life-saving and humanitarian aid to Gaza. 

Unfortunately, this aid is insufficient, and more support is urgently needed for the women of Gaza, particularly for pregnant women and newborn babies.

It is crucial to note that no fuel has entered Gaza since October 7, leaving food, electricity, and other necessities out of reach for its residents. 

The only thing sustaining them is hope—the hope that the conflict will end soon and that essential supplies like medicines, healthcare resources, and food will once again become accessible.