Hello, my dear friends. My name is Hala, an 18-year-old girl from Gaza. My family and I, a family of seven, are still struggling to rebuild our lives in Gaza after being displaced dozens of times. Each time we were forced to leave, we carried whatever little we could, hoping that one day we would find safety and stability again. But every return brought new challenges, and we found ourselves trying to rebuild our lives from almost nothing.
As the days pass, it is becoming increasingly clear that we may have to remain here for a long time. So, my family and I have decided to adapt to this reality and make our home as livable as possible, despite everything we have lost.
Our living conditions remain difficult in ways that are hard to explain. After years of displacement, many of the basic comforts that make a house feel like a home are still missing. Our household essentials have worn out from years of use and being moved from one place to another. Our sofa was burned during the looting of our home, and when we returned, we gathered whatever cushions we could find just so we would have somewhere to sit.
Even the simplest things that make daily life easier are missing. We do not have a battery to provide lighting at night, leaving our home dark when evening comes. The LED lights we rely on are extremely weak, and their poor lighting strains our eyes. It feels as though the situation keeps getting worse, while the basic things we need to live comfortably remain out of reach.
I know that there are families facing circumstances far worse than ours, and I never forget to thank God for what we still have. I am not sharing our story because I have forgotten gratitude. I am sharing it because I have learned that gratitude and hardship can exist together. We can be thankful for being alive and still long for a comfortable home, proper lighting, a place to sit together, or the tools needed to continue our education.
After everything we have endured, I dream of something that may seem ordinary to many people: a home where my family can rest comfortably, where we can sit together in a decent living space, and where the nights are not spent in darkness. I dream of being able to study without constantly worrying about how I will access my books or complete my university work.
We have spent so long trying to survive, moving from one place to another, that we have barely had the chance to feel settled. Now, I simply want us to have the opportunity to rebuild a small sense of normal life, even while Gaza continues to endure unimaginable hardship.
I do not know what tomorrow will bring, but I still believe that small acts of kindness can help families like mine find a little comfort, dignity, and hope. For us, reviving life does not mean returning to the life we once knew overnight. It means beginning again, one basic necessity at a time, and finding the strength to keep going.
Thank you for taking the time to read our story and for remembering that behind every family in Gaza are ordinary people trying to hold on to their lives, their dreams, and the hope of a better tomorrow. ❤️🇵🇸
