‘Israeli tanks are here.’ Gaza City is on the verge of collapse’

11 min read

‘Israeli tanks are here.’ Gaza City is on the verge of collapse’. Located in Gaza City, I woke up this morning to the sound of the Israeli army’s tanks passing only a few hundred metres away from my window. There is some evidence that they reached deep into the center of Gaza City during the night.

The two-year-old who sleeps beneath the window with me has just fallen asleep. It has been a long night for him and the sound of gunfire has scared him to sleep. He has been living off powdered milk and cereal for the past four days, and his lips are dry due to the time he has spent lying awake.

It has become increasingly apparent in recent days that we will not be able to survive Israel’s bombardment for much longer, which seems to be a growing threat.

We have been dealing with fear and deprivation all the time – it is as if we are struggling every moment of every day.

In the last month, my parents, in their late 60s, have not been taking any of the medications that they normally take on a daily basis. In the midst of horror and illness, they are defying all odds.

Despite my best efforts, all of my attempts to get their medication from the pharmacy have failed. Neither the pharmacy nor the streets have been rebuilt; walking out to the pharmacy is no longer an option as both have been destroyed.

Minute by minute, explosions are getting closer

The situation in Gaza City is so dangerous that we are not able to leave it and go south like hundreds of other families. There is a constant bombardment of all major roads leading to the south of the strip, which has forced us to remain in the area.

Throughout the night, we men keep up a facade of strength just to provide a little bit of hope for our wives and children that they might feel some sense of security. The truth is that we are all anxious and scared at the same time.

It is even more frightening to hear the sound of ground missiles being fired from military tanks in the closed doors of our homes as the war jets hover overhead all night: What if we are struck by one?

As the explosions close in on each other, the building is shaking as the building is shaken by the explosions. I can’t help but think that it won’t take long for artillery to start hitting our walls in close proximity. In the event that we are struck by an aircraft, there is a high probability that all 30 of us, huddling together in a two-bedroom apartment with children, elderly people, and fleeing neighbours, will die in the crash.

There are many forms of torture that occur throughout the course of the day, which serve as another element of psychological warfare we are experiencing. Thirst and hunger are two of the most pressing needs.

It was common practice for us to go out in search of whatever we could find, such as clean water or canned food. Our ability to move around the neighborhood has been impossible for the past few days, however, as a result of the heavy rains that have swept the city. In this situation, we have a choice to make – either we stay inside and risk being shot if we go out or we stay inside and starve.

A person who manages to survive an hour-long queue for clean water outside a humanitarian shelter is lucky if he or she is able to make it there safely.

Those who die without suffering are considered ‘lucky’

Those who are lucky enough to have the opportunity to bid farewell to the ones they love are even more fortunate.

In addition to that, if you die without experiencing any pain, you will be among the luckiest people in the world.

There have been numerous instances of families being thrown to the ground where they have fallen to their deaths and have died from bleed to death. No matter where you go – whether it is a hospital, a church, a mosque, or a school – there is no safety to be found.

In Gaza today, there are now scenes that could be taken out of a horror movie with what used to be the most beautiful places. Black debris has largely replaced the majority of what was once white debris.

We have been wiped out from every aspect of our lives due to the Israeli ground incursions in the city center. Our lives are not only at risk because of the fighting, but we are also dealing with the fact that there is a lack of food and water as a result as well.

It is everywhere that there is death

It goes without saying that death and destruction are everywhere. Several dead bodies lie on top of the rubble of buildings that have been destroyed out on the streets.

The injuries are not treated by a medical professional. It has been reported that all health facilities and ambulance services are out of service at the moment.

Thousands of civilians are being denied their right to seek medical treatment due to the fact that Israeli troops are storming hospitals, making them a battlefield.

With the military tanks deployed on the ground, as well as snipers positioned on high rises, fear and death have settled over the city as snipers and tanks have blanketed it. In the near future, there will be a looming blackout of telecom and internet services, which will leave us in the dark.

Emergency services, as well as civilian defence crews, make desperate attempts to communicate with the outside world during the waiting period before we are cut off from communication with the outside world as we wait to be cut off. It appears that there may be a temporary truce in the news, but a full ceasefire is necessary to ensure this peace can continue.

During the past 40 days, life has become increasingly dangerous and unbearable as a result of the ongoing crisis.

It is our daily routine to survive, and there is no sign that we will be able to survive for at least a few more days.

My family and I hope that if we are to die, we will do so in a peaceful manner if that is what we choose. There is only one thing we want when we live, and that is to live peacefully. It does not seem like either of these options is likely to happen in the near future.

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