Hello, my name is Hani, I am 26 years old, from Gaza.
I studied social work at university, but due to the lack of job opportunities, I had to work as a taxi driver to meet my needs and those of my family. I never imagined that my life would change in such a tragic way, but everything collapsed when the war on Gaza began in October of the previous year.
Our house was in a remote area near the border, one of the most targeted areas by the occupiers. In an instant, we found ourselves facing the worst nightmare anyone could experience: war, bombing, the destruction of homes, and the massacres committed by the occupiers against our people, including children, the elderly, and women. Death threatened us at every moment, and we were forced to make the hardest decisions.
Since the war began, we decided to leave everything behind, starting with our home, which was completely destroyed, to our previous lives. We began our first displacement journey in an attempt to escape death. We left our area in the first hour of the invasion, and the roads were nearly empty of cars, as moving vehicles were targeted by the occupiers. Our situation was catastrophic, as the roads were filled with destruction, and fuel was unavailable, so we had to walk on foot.
We, my family and I, set off on a long and arduous journey, not knowing when it would end. With us were my parents: my father Yasser (55 years old), and my mother Manal (50 years old), who suffers from chronic illnesses such as diabetes and high blood pressure, my sister Ameena (29 years old), who carries her children Nasser (7 years old), Bara'a (5 years old), and Adam (3 years old). I was also with my brother Ibrahim (15 years old), who was in desperate need of protection and guidance.
The occupiers had imposed harsh conditions on the paths we took to reach the south, where we were prohibited from carrying anything with us and subjected to thorough searches. The first checkpoint we passed was 6,000 meters away from where we were, and after the checkpoints, there was no transportation available, even animals were prohibited. Only a horse-drawn cart was the only means of transportation we could find.
After a long and exhausting journey on foot, we endured the hardships: the children were exhausted, and my elderly parents and sick mother were in desperate need of help. We finally reached the checkpoint, where there were hundreds of people waiting their turn to enter the area that the occupiers claimed was safe. It took us 8 hours before our turn came, and after being checked and verified, we were allowed to pass. We then walked another 3 kilometers before we reached a bus that transported us to Deir al-Balah, where we stayed in a school converted into a shelter for displaced people.
The school was crowded with displaced people, more than 10,000 people crammed into the space. There was no room in the classrooms, so we had to live in the schoolyard under the walls of the fence. We were provided with a simple tent made of cloth and wood thanks to help from some volunteers, but this didn't last long. After a month, we were told we would have to leave the place.
We moved again, this time to the Rafah area, where some organizations provided us with tents to stay in, but over time, we had to leave that area as well. We moved to the Zawayda area in the center, where my family still lives in a school that was under construction. Here we are now, living in tragic conditions, sharing classrooms with five other families. We are 7 members in the same space, facing the daily challenges of life inside this school.
But the story doesn’t end here, as every day is a new battle. We face difficulty in obtaining food, water, and healthcare, especially with my sick mother and my father who needs care. The situation has become more complicated as time passes, and the needs are urgent. With every difficulty we face, the hope that you might help us rebuild our lives after this tragedy is what keeps our hearts intact.
We are in urgent need of your support. Your donations, no matter how small, will significantly improve our lives. They will enable us to provide food, healthcare, shelter, and help us rebuild our lives after this catastrophe. With every donation, you are giving hope to a family living in darkness, and you become a part of our story of resilience and survival.
