Never safe: A testimony of displacement and survival in northern Gaza
People in northern Gaza remain trapped in dire conditions living through relentless bombardments with little to no aid for months. Those fleeing south to Gaza City find no safety, instead they face harsh conditions and the same lack of aid.
Posted on 10 Dec 2024
The intense military action unfolding in northern Gaza is horrifying. People have been trapped in refugee camps or besieged towns amidst active violence, with no regard for civilian lives. Even when they manage to flee, they face a harrowing journey marked by fear and intimidation, with no safe refuge awaiting them.
To the sound of shells and the roar of Israeli warplanes, *Sawsan, a woman in her fifties, found herself and her family trapped in a nightmare that repeated itself daily. She lived with her family of eight - four daughters, two sons, and her husband, who suffers from a mental health condition, in Jabalia Camp, north of Gaza, near the "Tarrance" area, which witnessed some of the fiercest Israeli military operations.
There wasn’t a single moment without bombardment or destruction. The planes never left the skies, and shells kept falling around us non-stop. The strikes targeted everything indiscriminately.
/ Sawsan
She described how drones hovered above them constantly, as if monitoring their every breath. It wasn’t just the airstrikes that terrified her, the sound of shrapnel raining down after each bombing was unforgettable.
Despite the dangers, Sawsan and her family stayed in the camp for 19 days in harrowing conditions. The water was undrinkable, but she had no choice but to use it, even though her daughters suffered from stomach cramps and pain due to the poor water quality. As for food, they relied on meagre remnants of bread and thyme she had stored.
Faced with no alternative to safeguard their lives, Sawsan’s family had to leave the camp. The decision to leave was agonising amid constant shelling and bombs. Holding a white flag as a symbol of peace, Sawsan and her family set out, accompanied by her husband. Along the way, they encountered Israeli tanks, which directed displaced families to specific paths. Soldiers issued commands from inside their tanks, forcing everyone to move according to their directions.
"I saw families walking slowly, children crying, women carrying what little belongings they could, and all of us searching for safety”
After a grueling journey on foot, Sawsan and her family reached western Gaza, where they now live in her sister-in-law’s house. Yet their suffering is far from over.
"I live between two hells, the war outside and my struggles with my husband inside. My husband, who has psychological illnesses, hasn’t adapted to the new circumstances and has become abusive toward me, adding to my emotional burden.”
With the health infrastructure decimated, access to medical care including mental health support is severely limited leaving many people without the support they desperately need.
Despite everything, Sawsan clings to a sliver of hope that the war will soon end and she can return to her home in the north.
"I just want to live in peace with my family and find treatment for my husband, whose condition has worsened due to everything that’s happened."
Sawsan’s story is one of countless others highlighting the immense human suffering caused by the unrelenting use of explosive weapons in populated areas. A ceasefire remains the only way to protect civilians in Gaza. Without accountability for violations and immediate action to uphold these laws, families like Sawsan's will continue to bear the unbearable.
This case study was collected by our partner, the Women’s Affair Centre who provide essential support to women and girls in Gaza.
