In Gaza City, Jamal Al Zinati finds himself in a state of shock and disbelief. At 33 years old, he usually deals in perfumes, but today, the overwhelming presence is the scent of death and devastation, permeating not just his neighborhood but the entire Gaza Strip.
Jamal, along with many others, has sought refuge in a classroom within a school operated by UNRWA (the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East) after his entire neighborhood was obliterated by Israeli missiles.
As the conflict between Israel and Hamas rages on for a fourth consecutive day, once-thriving neighborhoods in central Gaza City now lie in ruins. Amid the relentless explosions, thousands of people have been left with no option but to seek shelter in overcrowded public areas and schools in the hope of relative safety. Besides Israel’s tight blockade, the destruction caused by the bombings has further diminished the living space available to them, making survival a challenge.
Entire families have found themselves homeless, with their neighborhoods reduced to rubble. Throughout the Gaza Strip, plumes of smoke obscure the skyline.
“When we fled our home, we thought that Israel might only threaten us to make us leave and instill fear in our hearts,” Jamal recalls. “I never thought they would bomb the entire area, turning it into a black wasteland.”
This includes his home, a place filled with cherished memories that meant “everything” to his family. “It’s where we lived happily, celebrated birthdays, and nurtured dreams.”
“Now, it’s reduced to nothing but debris,” he says, his voice trembling and tears welling up in his eyes. “We sought refuge in a nearby school for safety, but we are packed in here with hundreds of others. Space is scarce, and our children cry themselves to sleep every night.”
Even in the schools where the people of Gaza are seeking refuge, their lives are marked by deprivation amid an impending humanitarian crisis. The blockade has made the Gaza Strip dependent on Israel for supplies of food, fuel, medicines, and electricity. Now, Israel has announced plans to cut even these essential supplies—a decision that, under international law, could be seen as a war crime.
Already, essential necessities are in short supply. “We can barely provide enough food for our children,” laments Zainab Matar, a mother of four. “Clean drinking water is a luxury, and we struggle to keep our children warm at night due to the lack of proper clothing.”
Moreover, even schools are no longer safe spaces. According to UNRWA, at least four schools in Gaza have sustained damage from Israeli airstrikes. “We thought that coming to the school would offer us protection, but even here, we live in constant fear,” Zainab says.
This fear is visible and palpable across the Gaza Strip, reflected in the eyes of mothers and fathers, children, and grandparents. It’s a fear that even schools are no longer immune to.
Aseel, another displaced resident, shares this fear. “We can’t comprehend why schools, where innocent people seek refuge, are being targeted,” she says.