Amid Ceasefire, Gaza's Women Face Unimaginable Loss And The Struggle To Rebuild Lives

(MENAFN- Palestine News Network ) Gaza/PNN /

As a fragile ceasefire takes effect and a prisoner exchange deal unfolds, the devastating toll of Israel's military campaign on Gaza is becoming clearer. The destruction, displacement, and loss of life have left countless Palestinians in a state of shock, particularly women who bear the brunt of the suffering. For many returning to their neighborhoods, the sight of destroyed homes and rubble raises a haunting question: Where do we go from here?

In a voice filled with sorrow, Arubah Abdul Hamid Abu Husna, a displaced woman from Jabalia Refugee Camp, shared her harrowing story with PNN. For over 15 months, she has endured what she describes as a campaign of genocide by Israel. Her ordeal includes the disappearance of her 17-year-old son, Mohammed Mahmoud Saber, whose whereabouts have been unknown since Ramadan last year. With another Ramadan approaching, her search for him continues, with no answers from Rafah, Khan Younis, or the northern areas of Gaza.

Her grief deepens as she recounts the loss of her other son, Yusuf Mahmoud Saber, who succumbed to his injuries two months after being struck while gathering firewood. Yusuf, a father of four, was just trying to provide for his family.

Sitting on the ground surrounded by her grandchildren, Arubah describes the hardships of displacement. After Israeli airstrikes destroyed her home and those of her children, she now resides in a makeshift tent amidst the ruins of farmland near Jabalia camp. With water and food scarce, and basic necessities unattainable, she divides a single loaf of bread among her grandchildren, trying to stave off hunger.

Arubah's tragedy is a reflection of the widespread devastation in Gaza. She says she has lost over 33 relatives, including 15 cousins, while her daughters have been widowed. Recalling her early years, Arubah says she moved to the area as a young woman to build a life. Now, at 50, she finds herself back where she started but with the added burden of raising orphaned grandchildren.

Reflecting on the years of hard work she and her late husband invested in building their home, she says,“Even if they built me a villa, it wouldn't equal the tear I shed for my son.” The memories of her losses, she believes, will remain etched in her grandchildren's minds as they grow up with the pain of their experiences.

Arubah wonders who will compensate those who have lost everything, lamenting,“This is our life's work, and the losses are immeasurable.” She describes the daily struggle for survival, the thirst, the lack of hygiene, and the humiliation of war.“We divide one loaf of bread, and yet we endure,” she says.“God help us. No one can feel the pain of the wound except those who bear it.”

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has reported that nearly two million people in Gaza have been left homeless due to the war. Rebuilding the region, they estimate, will take years.

“At least 1.9 million people in Gaza have been displaced, many forced to live in temporary shelters, such as those in the Mawasi area of southwestern Gaza,” UNRWA said in a statement. The agency added that most homes are either completely destroyed or uninhabitable, and that restoring infrastructure and addressing psychological trauma will require extensive time and resources.

Over the past 15 months, Israel's campaign in Gaza has systematically destroyed 88% of the enclave's infrastructure, including homes, hospitals, and roads, in what many Palestinians see as a strategy to force them out of the region.

This story was produced as part of the Qarib Program, implemented by the French Media Development Agency (CFI) in partnership with and funded by the French Development Agency (AFD).

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