A young man named Karim, a qualified medical professional in his early 20s, is originally from Gaza City. Before the latest evacuation directive issued by Israel, he resided in the ruins of his former home with his mother, father, and siblings. He has now been displaced 13 times because of the war and survived an Israeli strike in southern Gaza. He maintained a journal over the past month.
August 17, 2025
After two years, I've lost all hope. I doubt the reports about a ceasefire. My father insists we should move to central Gaza quickly, prior to they evict us again. If it were another group, the UN might have intervened. But for us, no action. Now they propose sending us to a troubled African nation – a country racked by civil war, already full of refugees. There are 2 million of us, trapped in under 20 square kilometers, just facing gradual death. And the world will shrug. An ex-prime minister once said, "We will perhaps eventually pardon the Palestinians for taking our children's lives, but it will be harder for us to forgive them for having forced us to end their children's lives." That says it all. Sometimes, I think the state should be studied by mental health experts – maybe then the global audience would finally understand the madness we endure.
18 August 2025
I hitched a lift to Deir al-Balah with a acquaintance – it seemed like an act of daring: cars altered to carry extra people, attached carts like lifeboats. You cling tightly with all your strength, because if you don't, you could fall into the exposed street and be left behind.
Close to a central roundabout I saw a "hizam nari" – a line of flames across the heavens. Military aircraft created a trail of explosions above Gaza City, one after another; smoke plumes rose and everything below them was obliterated. I tallied several missiles – then gave up counting because it seemed pointless. I must locate shelter for my loved ones – an apartment, a garage, any small place. My mind keeps slipping, I forget things, I miss appointments – the chaos steals them. All I sense is a constant anxiety and the empty wish that we will survive the following day.
August 19, 2025
The day before, I finally managed to secure a garage – around $400, approximately 335 pounds a 30 days. That's the cheapest you can locate, because demand is high while houses and buildings are destroyed completely. This "shelter" has almost no roof. The landlord even proposed a small flat for over $600 – frankly, not even a flat in the UAE is that expensive. In wars and crises people become more aggressive, self-centered, eager to profit from the suffering of others. And maybe that's "typical", or instead the expected behaviour of a person who has lived through 24 months of forced displacement, expulsion, starvation – especially inside the world's largest prison.
So I began setting up my new home – cleaning, organizing, trying to make it livable. I must not permit even a moment to think about my old room prior to the violence, my box-spring bed, my computer station, the cooling unit, our house … I must not allow nostalgia to consume me. I just continue forward. Onward, onward – without glancing behind.
August 28, 2025
For a week now I've been separated from my mother and father. Despite what my father said initially, they cling to hope – or to refusal – thinking that all the negotiations between the various mediators means Gaza City won't be evacuated. So they decline to move. For 24 months the global powers has done as it pleases while we suffer, and we clutch at the smallest, most obvious lies – the little straws that allow us to survive. The cruel truth is the authorities were always clear about their aims: "We'll annihilate Gaza." They did. "You will be moved." They accomplished that. "We will cut off supplies." They did. "We will enter Rafah." All attention focused there. The American president objected – they did it anyway. What comes next? My hometown. It will be emptied, turn into ruins like Rafah. I'm stealing a few quiet days now – a temporary calm I've deserved.
9 September 2025
My mother and father are at last with me. We converted the space into a dwelling – rooms, a little private space. Of course the barriers are just vinyl sheets. I succeeded in accessing the internet for a short time. It has come to this: the military has issued a forced displacement order for all of Gaza City, encompassing the west side. Residents have exhausted, no money, no desire to abandon their houses – numerous individuals would prefer death than depart.
This afternoon our neighbor told us the forces attacked Qatar. Oh my god. They have no limits any more. The nation – with the biggest US installation in the Middle East – was reportedly hit by a power associated with the US. I believe it's obvious what follows and what it means for Gaza's people: systematic destruction until the last breath. They've been granted free rein.
September 15, 2025
My mother's birthday – another quiet celebration under inhuman circumstances. Things have eased a bit, but this is not the existence we were destined for. My phone displayed images from her birthday in 2022: a homemade cake and my favourite American treat. I recall presenting her Nineteen Eighty-Four by the author – we used it as fuel for bread at the end of 2023 because we had no fuel or timber to bake. What would the writer think of us now? I like to imagine he'd understand our actions. I wiped my tears in private and kept going. Deir al-Balah is getting fuller and fuller. People are worn out: they wish to live, but a lot feel they already have.
I grasped my mom's palm, touched it lovingly, and whispered "Best wishes". She has been unwell for several days. I penned a note and said sorry because I lack a penny for a dessert (which would cost about $70) or even a small gift.
21 September 2025
Countries like the UK and Australia have recognised the Palestinian state as a sovereign entity – why now and for what purpose? The state keeps attacking us, the atrocities goes on. But currently we can officially die as a recognized nation, we have a state. How nice.
Following immense hardship, numerous nations that have denied for nearly two years that the organized eradication of a population was occurring in Gaza are now voicing concern. Celebrities and artists participate because it's now popular. Previously, people would dismiss and remark, "Unfortunately, I don't know enough about the Middle East, it's too sensitive for me to speak." Hypocrites.
25 September 2025
Same cruel routine, every single day – people die from starvation, from debility, from the rockets that never stop. A individual nearby died recently. Initially I thought it must have been the typical violence – a raid, a random shot. But no. He simply collapsed. His life ended. I remain shocked how ordinary his death felt, how rapidly a existence can disappear and result in a hollow silence. I was stunned, like I'd been desensitized to this kind of loss and suddenly woke up.
My daily routine is a map of survival: collect drinking water, {scavenge for
