Gaza’s 500-Day War: "Humiliation, Suffering, and Bloodshed"
The Struggle for Survival
GAZA CITY: For 500 days since an unprecedented Hamas attack on Israel triggered the Gaza Strip’s deadliest war, Mohammed Abu Mursa has grappled with "humiliation, suffering, and bloodshed" in his fight for survival.
Abu Mursa and his family have been displaced more than a dozen times since the war began, moving from place to place across the Palestinian territory in a desperate attempt to stay safe, he said.
"It’s been 500 days of humiliation, suffering, and bloodshed," said the resident of northern Gaza, finally able to return home after a fragile ceasefire took hold on January 19.
"I just hope the ceasefire holds," he added. "There is only destruction around us."
The Humanitarian Crisis
Like the Abu Mursa family, nearly all of Gaza’s 2.4 million residents have been displaced at least once during the war. Within hours of the Hamas attack, which resulted in the deaths of 1,211 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures, Israel launched a blistering offensive on Gaza.
More than 16 months later, vast swathes of the territory are in ruins. The Israeli military campaign by land, air, and sea has killed at least 48,284 people in Gaza, the majority of them civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry, whose figures the UN considers reliable.
The Devastating Consequences
Khadija Hammou, 56, said that the 500 days since the war began have felt like "500 years."
"There is no tent to shelter us, no water to drink or bathe in, no means of survival in Gaza," she told AFP. "Everywhere we go… there is only suffering."
To Hammou, the war has "revealed to the world that Israel is committing massacres and that our people are the occupied and the oppressed."
The Fear of Renewed Violence
Despite the ceasefire and the diplomatic efforts to extend it, Gazans are concerned that the violence could reignite.
"Our fear is that the war will resume" and the world will fail to stop Israel’s actions, said Ayman al-Jamali, 39, a resident of the Tal al-Hawa neighbourhood in Gaza City.
"The world watches the massacres unfold without doing anything," he said.
The United Nations’ Plea
The United Nations has said more than $53 billion will be required to rebuild Gaza and end the "humanitarian catastrophe" that has gripped the territory.
Conclusion
The 500-day war in Gaza has had devastating consequences for the people of the territory, with widespread destruction, displacement, and loss of life. The international community must come together to support the people of Gaza and work towards a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the current situation in Gaza?
The situation in Gaza is dire, with widespread destruction and displacement, and the threat of renewed violence remains. - What is the humanitarian crisis in Gaza?
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is characterized by widespread poverty, unemployment, and lack of access to basic necessities such as water, electricity, and healthcare. - What is the international community doing to support the people of Gaza?
The international community has provided some aid and support to the people of Gaza, but more needs to be done to address the scale of the crisis.