Brigitte Challande, November 26, 2024. Abu Amir, in his daily texts on the indescribable horror seen and experienced in Gaza, apologizes for writing to us too often….What should we answer him, except that the international community is beneath everything and that she has lost her moral and human conscience!
The front page of New York TimesNovember 25, 2024.
“I apologize for the proliferation of my writing, but every time I cross a road or visit a displaced persons camp, I feel an irresistible impulse to return home to document the suffering I observed. I know there are already many articles reporting on these tragedies, but none of them can truly capture the magnitude of the pain experienced by the residents of the Gaza Strip.
Every minute reveals a new story, told with the blood and wounds of the displaced.
The children of Gaza: fragile dreams pursued by war and poverty in displacement camps
Under the sounds of bombings and among the ruins of destroyed houses, the children of Gaza grow up in conditions that almost rob them of the very meaning of childhood. In every corner of the displaced camps scattered across the Gaza Strip, painful stories emerge: innocence shattered and dreams shattered by the siege and incessant aggression. These children, whose lives should have been filled with joy and education, find themselves trapped in a vicious circle of poverty, fear and suffering.
Displaced people camps: precarious shelters for persistent pain
More than a year after the intensification of Israeli aggression, displacement camps have become the only refuge for tens of thousands of families who have lost their homes. The children live there in dilapidated tents, at the mercy of merciless nature. The freezing cold of the night and the oppressive heat of the day do not spare their small bodies, devoid of any essential protection.
In these camps, drinking water is almost non-existent, and food is barely enough to survive a day. But the worst part is the psychological suffering: these children grow up in an atmosphere of constant fear, while they see their dreams disappear before their eyes.
Stories of displacement: dreams crushed under the weight of suffering
Every child in Gaza has a story of pain. Mohamed, a ten-year-old boy, dreamed of becoming a doctor. He says: “I wanted to help the sick, but now I can’t even help my own family. » He spends his days collecting pieces of wood to heat the family tent, putting aside his dreams in the face of the demands of reality.
Mariam, a twelve-year-old girl, lives with her family in a camp near the Gaza beach. She wanted to become a teacher, but today she helps her mother prepare a meager meal for her little brothers. “I would like to go back to school,” she says, “but that seems to be a thing of the past now. »
Children on the streets: begging to survive
Begging has become a common scene on the streets of Gaza, where children can be found on every corner holding out their hands to ask for money or food. Ali, a seven-year-old boy, stands at a crossroads every day, trying to collect a few shekels to feed his family. “I don’t want to beg,” he confides, “but we have nothing to eat. My mother is sick, and I’m trying to help her. »
Her story is just one example among thousands of how war forced these children to take on responsibilities far too heavy for their age.
Child labor: a future shattered in their little hands
In addition to begging, child labor is a widespread reality in Gaza. Children are forced to work in difficult conditions to provide for their families. Omar, a 13-year-old boy, works in an auto repair shop. “I loved school,” he said, “but now I have to work all day. I dream of going back to study, but it seems impossible. »
Child labor in Gaza is not just an economic problem, it is a human crisis that deprives an entire generation of education and exposes them to exploitation and abuse.
November 26, 2024.
Psychological trauma: invisible wounds that do not heal
Fear of bombing, loss of loved ones and displacement form a devastating combination that leaves deep psychological scars on the children of Gaza. Many suffer from recurring nightmares, sleep disturbances and even bedwetting. Childhood, supposed to be a time of play and carefree, is now marked by fear and anxiety.
Mental health specialists in Gaza report that many children show symptoms of post-traumatic stress, while others fall into depression and isolation.
A gloomy picture: begging and child labor
With poverty and unemployment rates reaching unprecedented levels, many children find themselves working or begging on the streets. These scenes, where children wander through markets or stand at red lights, have become commonplace. Some sell tissues, while others reach out for help.
Begging and work are not only evidence of deprivation; they also reflect the collapse of a social protection system supposed to guarantee children a decent life.
Insufficient aid efforts
Despite the efforts of some humanitarian organizations to provide food, water and psychological support, the scale of the tragedy in Gaza far exceeds their capacities. Lack of funding, coupled with the continued blockade, compounds the challenges, leaving these initiatives insufficient to meet urgent needs.
A future lost under the rubble of war
The children of Gaza represent the hope of tomorrow, but that future seems bleak amid continued war and siege. Education, health and even a simple life have become distant dreams.
These children are not only asking for material help; they demand an end to the war, the reconstruction of their schools and protection against all forms of exploitation.
A call to global conscience
The stories of the children of Gaza are not just passing news; these are appeals to all humanity. The international community must assume its responsibility and act urgently to end the war and the blockade.
These children, carrying stories of displacement and suffering, deserve much more than compassion. They deserve a secure childhood, a dignified life and a bright future, far from the horrors of war and destruction.
Gaza calls on the world: save the children, because they are the hope that must not be broken. »
The day before, November 25, Marsel announced to us the new weather disasters which are seriously damaging the displaced persons camps located near the sea.
“A new tragedy!” After being hit by sea waters, many tents of displaced people on the beaches of Deir al-Balah and Khan Yunis in the south of the Gaza Strip were flooded. Depression is only just beginning. »
VIDEO taken in Mawasi Khan Younes on 26.11. VIDEO of children from the beach displaced persons camp taken this morning 26.11. VIDEO showing 3 children carrying cans of water, 24.11.
Find all the testimonies of Abu Amir and Marsel:
*Abu Amir Mutasem Eleïwa has been coordinator of Peasant Projects since 2016 in the south of the Gaza Strip and correspondent for the French Jewish Union for Peace.
*Marcel Alledawi is responsible for the Ibn Sina Center in the north of the Gaza Strip, a center dedicated to the educational and psychological monitoring of children.
Both are supported by the UJFP in France.
228th part: November 21. 229th part: November 22. 230th part: November 23. 231st part: November 24.
One year of Testimonies from Gaza from 11/20/2023 to 11/20/2024, from the 1st to the 227th part.
To participate in the “Emergency War in Gaza” collection: HelloAsso.com
The testimonies are also published on UJFP, Altermidi and on Le Poing.
The article Testimonies from Gazans: Survival organized day by day in the hell of Gaza – part 232 / November 25 – When childhood dreams are shattered appeared first on International Solidarity Movement – ISM-France .
Source: Ismfrance.org
