NAGHAM KARAJEH

Gaza- People in the Gaza Strip, especially women and children struggle to survive amid Israeli attacks on the enclave. Aya Al-Ajla, a nurse living in the Shuja'iyya neighborhood of Gaza and working at a health center set up inside a school sheltering displaced people, does her best to hold on to life despite all her fears.

The people in the neighborhood struggle to survive due to the ongoing Israeli siege and bombardment. In late June, Israeli forces suddenly raided the neighborhood without any warning. Israeli bulldozers, artillery attacks and airstrikes destroyed the buildings and houses in the neighborhood. Within minutes, the streets of the neighborhood turned into battlefields, forcing the residents to flee and leave behind everything they had.

Although the home of Aya Al-Ajla was only a few steps away from the school, she could not leave the injured people. “I insisted on fulfilling my humanitarian duty although my three children were alone at home. We heard explosions. Although I was worried about my children, my profession and my duty were greater than all my fears.”

While taking care of the injured, she tried to contact her family. After a while, she managed to contact them; however, she was told that the neighborhood had been completely destroyed by Israeli forces and that the road to her home had become very dangerous.

‘There were dead bodies everywhere’

“My family begged me to stay at the school. As a mother, I did not listen to their warning and decided to take the risk for my children. I went out and walked towards my home. I saw Israeli tanks on the streets and there were dead bodies everywhere.”

‘My children were hiding under an old wooden table in fear’

Despite snipers, Aya Al-Ajla kept walking to her home. “Israeli soldiers were shooting at anything that moved. When I arrived home, everything was in ruins as if an earthquake had hit our neighborhood. Smoke was rising from the rubble. Her heart trembled with fear when I heard an explosion near me. I pushed the door to find my children. I found my children hiding under an old wooden table in fear. They were crying but they were safe. I hugged them and went out.”

‘My house turned to ashes’

Aya Al-Ajla took her children to one of the shelters in western of Gaza City. The shelter was crowded with families being displaced from other areas. “Everyone had a different story. I told my children that everything would be okay.” After days, Aya Al-Ajla was able to return to her home after the Israeli forces withdrew from the neighborhood. “My house was completely destroyed, turning to ashes. I had worked for years to build my house; however, it was in ruin.”

‘We will rebuild our lives’

Although Aya Al-Ajla struggles to survive with her children, she is still hopeful. “This war will end sooner or later and we will rebuild our lives despite everything.”