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The words of Israa Al-Naqeeb reflect the experiences of hundreds more like her, whose families have been ripped apart or completely destroyed during Israel's campaign against Hamas.
On the first anniversary of the attack which began the conflict, when Hamas fighters broke across the Gaza border and killed hundreds of Israelis, CGTN Europe has heard from some of those in Gaza who are living with the consequences.
Young people who had lost some – if not all – of their immediate relatives recall the transformation from ordinary life to a world of destruction.
"Our house was beautiful and clean. All was good. But when the war started, they bombed our houses, and we began to live in tents. All tents are not good... They are full of ants and flies. They caused sickness in us during the war."
Aged 10, Mirvat Al-Majdalawi cannot adjust to a life living with loss, fear and an absence of even the most basic of necessities. Her closest surviving family members are her seven-year-old brother Yousef and their even younger sibling Omar, who live on the other side of the territory, an insurmountable distance in the current climate.
Even before October 7, being a child in Gaza was extremely difficult. The territory has endured decades of cyclical violence, 16 years of an Israeli blockade and lack of essential services linked to a spiraling economic crisis. A recent UNICEF report found that many children in Gaza are unable to imagine a future without war.
Mohammed Juha, 17, lost his entire family when his home was hit. Now all he has are memories.
"The best times were when the families got together. Birthdays. Football matches. Going to the sea. The whole family used to go to the beach together. We used to stay there until midnight."
CGTN's report - Surviving: Orphans of Gaza - a co-production with Noon Films, documents the stories of five orphans – Yousef, Abdullah, Israa, Mirvat and Mohammed. The film reveals how their lives changed irreparably and violently in a single moment and their daily struggles with injury, trauma and displacement.
Also available on CGTN Europe's YouTube channel.
YUBIN DU
CGTN EUROPE
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