As The War Continues

As War continues, Displaced residents  at U.N schools are suffering

The war continues for more than a month now, innocent people are being killed , houses bombed, and people are taking United Nations schools as a shelter. For that it’s the only place they can stay at. This war is the longest and harshest war the Palestinian people have witnessed.

Mohammed Abo- Daraby, 40- years -old from Beit Laheia said ,"My family consisting of 10 members  evacuated our house in Beit Laheia to UNRWA schools because Israelis told us to leave our house".

The condition of  displaced families at U.N schools is miserable, classes are crowded with people, garbage is everywhere inside and in front of schools. Displaced families evacuated their domestic animals with them, schools are full of sheaps, horses and even cows.

In an interview with Ziad Abo- Sabha, head of Zaid Bin Khalifa school Northern Gaza he said,

 " displaced people at this school are really poor , their living condition is terrible , we could hardly afford them with food and healthy drinking water".

"In Khalifa Bin Zaid school there is about 4500 displaced people, 20 people sleep in one class, it's very crowded, people sleep on the tables and on the floor, if the war doesn't stop a crisis will happen, he continues".

Displaced families at U.N schools evacuated their houses. Some of them got bombed while they were inside the house, and they survived my miracle, while others lost their houses after their evacuation.

Mohammed Kafarna from Beit Hanoun , North Gaza has been displaced from his house for 28 days. " My house got bombed, we were inside the house that day my 6 years-old child  died and my pregnant wife lost our baby. What are we going to do now? Where are we going to go? My children are homeless".  With tears and sorrow he said .

Most of the displaced families evacuated to United nations schools, for that it’s the only shelter they can take, thinking that its safer to be there. Unfortunately the U.N schools have been a target for the Israeli war planes.

According to OCHA, Gaza Emergency Situation report,  520,000 people are displaced staying in emergency shelters, which is about 30 percent of Gaza's population. Six UNRWA shelters has been hit during Israeli attacks,  resulting in multiple casualties.   

" I lost my house during the war and we evacuated to Abo- Hussein school in Jabalya camp, suddenly we heard bombing in the school. I was shocked , I taught we are under the protection of United Nations, where should we go now? we have no other safe place" . In a desperate voice Mohammed Abo -Jarad , from Beit Hanoun said  .

Painful cries and sorrowful screams were heard from displaced children at Abo -Hussin school , which was directly hit by Israeli warplanes . Desperation and pain wear heavy on Maha 11- years -old, who lost her father as she describes what happened to her at U.N school.

                  " We left our houses in  Beit Hanoun and we evacuated to Abo- Hussin school , suddenly bombs were all over our heads . We are children , we did nothing for Israel, I want my father back , they killed him". In a mournful voice she said. 

Alaa Ibrahim Hammouda/ Gaza City