The last six months have passed so quickly. So many people had their lives shattered by the war. I can still see the pain in the eyes of Gazan children, as if the war just ended yesterday.
For Islamic Relief the end of the war signalled increased responsibility. Our feelings have been mixed; we were happy to have reached thousands of people in the Gaza Strip and yet sad that people are still suffering and the need is so great.
The kindest father ever
Last month during one of our distributions, I saw a 14 year old girl sitting on the ruins of her destroyed home. She told me about the days of the war and about her nightmares. Asma lost her father in the war, “the kindest father ever,” as she described him. Every evening he would tell Asma and her brothers stories at bedtime. Now Asma is an orphan. Her father was killed when their home was destroyed.
Asma told me how she dreams of her father telling her stories and hugging her. But sometimes she sees him in her dreams as a dead body, or he is saying goodbye from far away and then disappears. She wakes up crying.
Now Asma lives in a small house belonging to a man who lives abroad. The man is waiting for the crossing to reopen so that he can return to Gaza and live in his own house.
Moath’s tragedy
I also met 11-year-old Moath who lost his leg and broke his skull when a missile hit a neighbouring house. Moath’s doctor told me that the injuries would mean that when Moath reaches 30 he will have the mental age of an 11-year-old boy. Moath used to be top of his class.
Ongoing problems
There are a whole host of problems here like poverty, unemployment, closure of industries and a severe shortage of construction materials. These were all present before the war. There is also the serious problem of psychological trauma. Almost every household is affected by this.
Problems in the health system include shortages of medical staff, equipment and medicine. Rates of malnutrition and anaemia have reached 80 per cent among children in northern Gaza Strip. There is a shortage of electricity and restrictions on some basic food items entering Gaza.
Life goes on
In the past six months the entry of basic humanitarian aid into Gaza was allowed through Israeli controlled crossings. The issue is not just one of survival with basic needs – there needs to be dignity.
Islamic Relief has provided over $6 million of support for the people of Gaza since the start of the war. This has been channelled through our work in different sectors including health and nutrition, emergency relief, education, cash-for-work, psychosocial support and sponsoring orphans.
Despite the many problems, life in Gaza goes on. Recently I got engaged and I am constantly thinking about when and where to get married. I only have a small flat and it needs furnishing. It is very hard to have a stable life here. I worry about this a lot but I know my problems are meagre compared to what some other Gazans endure.