The Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza is now a haunting scene of destruction, with the red, white, and green of a Palestinian flag standing out against the rubble-filled landscape. A recent video from the neighborhood captures the heart-wrenching sight of women carrying belongings and moving bedding on rickety wheelchairs amidst shelled-out buildings and half-standing blocks.
Iman AbdulQader expressed the profound loss felt by many residents, stating, 'We lived a beautiful life filled with wonderful memories. We came back hoping to find something. But instead, we discovered that no stone is left. We are here, still resistant and alive.'
Following a ceasefire in Gaza, which provided a temporary respite after more than 15 months of Israeli bombing in response to Hamas-led attacks in October 2023, the reality of returning to completely devastated neighborhoods has been emotionally overwhelming for many Palestinians.
Younis Al Qatlawi, standing amidst the ruins of his home, lamented, 'There is nothing left to cry for. I have no life anymore – no children, no shelter, and no hope.'
According to the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, a staggering 92% of housing units in Gaza have been destroyed. This has resulted in 1.9 million out of the 2 million people in the Gaza Strip being displaced, as reported by the UN's agency for Palestine refugees.
Jaber Al Qarnawi, a distraught Palestinian father, shared the heartbreaking reality of his situation, stating, 'Nothing remains of my house in Bureij. I don't know what to do. My daughter is only one year and eight months old; she has never experienced joy in her life.'
