The tragedy of childhood in the Gaza Strip is embodied in its cruelest forms within displacement camps, where Eid al-Adha passes for thousands of orphans, laden with the pain of loss and memories of scattered families. These children, who have faced a reality beyond their endurance, find themselves today without fathers to share the joy of Eid or buy them new clothes, after the war destroyed all signs of the stable life they once knew.
In the 'Dar Al-Rajaa' camp in the central Strip, eleven-year-old Yumna Abu Rahma recounts how her life changed after her father's martyrdom, as the joy of the sacrifice, which her family used to offer and distribute to the poor, disappeared. Yumna, who keeps a small video clip of her father to hear his voice whenever her longing intensifies, confirms that life has lost its taste, and amusement parks or games no longer mean anything to her in the shadow of this desolate absence.
As for the child Sana Al-Jahjouh, her story reflects the magnitude of the catastrophe that has befallen Palestinian families, as she lost not only her father but also her uncles and maternal uncles who were her support on occasions. Sana describes the vast difference between her room, which she used to decorate before the war, and the reality of crowded and chaotic tents that lack the slightest elements of privacy, in addition to the constant threat of shelling that pursues them even in their displacement areas.
In a related context, 13-year-old Muhammad Badwan faces responsibilities far beyond his age, as he has transformed from a child dreaming of becoming a professional football player to a young man tasked with securing food for his family. Muhammad spends his day in 'Tekkiyeh' queues to get food and transport water from long distances, while his mother prevents him from going out to play for fear of being targeted, leaving him confined to the camp, wondering about his guilt in being deprived like the rest of the world's children.
Statistical data issued by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics indicate that the number of orphans in the Gaza Strip reached about 58,000 orphans who lost one or both parents by last April. These shocking figures come in the context of a two-year war of extermination, which left more than 72,000 martyrs, including 21,000 children, and destruction that affected about 90% of the infrastructure and civilian facilities in the besieged Strip.
Despite this rubble, some local initiatives are trying to extract joy from the heart of suffering, as an entertainment event was held in Al-Shati camp under the title 'Our Eid is Steadfastness.. And Our Victory is a Promise'. The event, organized in a school sheltering displaced people, came just hours after intense shelling targeted the surrounding residential block, in an attempt to alleviate the psychological pressure and terror experienced by children due to the continuous raids.
These activities included clown shows and simple popular games, in which the child Sally Al-Adham participated, singing for the homeland and for life despite her assertion of the absence of true happiness for many long months. The event also witnessed the recitation of poems by talented children, through which they sent messages to the Islamic world about steadfastness in the face of hunger, siege, and blood, affirming that the will to live still beats in their veins.
The continued targeting of shelters and tents places these orphans in a constant circle of danger, as there is no safe place in Gaza to protect them from the war machine. While children around the world are busy with Eid celebrations, Gaza's children remain searching for lost safety and for answers to the questions of pain left by the war, wishing every moment that the shelling would stop so they could return to what remains of their buried dreams under the rubble.
Life is very difficult without a father, we no longer have clothes for Eid or sacrifices, and all I wish is that time would go back so I could hear my father's voice again.
שתף את דעתך
Gaza's Orphans in the Grip of Loss.. An Eid Burdened by Displacement and Memories of Absent Fathers