Palestinians reflect on the human toll of the

Palestinians reflect on the human toll of the | Daily Tribune

Based on reporting by Rushdi Abualouf, BBC Gaza Correspondent, for Istanbul.

As Gaza enters another year of war, stories like that of Emaan al-Wahidi have become tragically commonplace — tales of profound loss, displacement, and a future shrouded in fear and uncertainty.

Al-Wahidi, who now lives with her children in a rented garage, has been displaced multiple times since the war began in October 2023. Her son Jehad, just 17, died from internal injuries after an Israeli airstrike struck near him in the early days of the conflict.

"I lost Jehad," she told the BBC’s Gaza correspondent Rushdi Abualouf. "I lost my home, which was destroyed. We lost all of the beautiful life that we lived before the war."

Her account is one of many circulating on social media, as Gazans reflect on two years of unrelenting violence, hunger, and displacement. Since the war’s onset — sparked by Hamas’ unprecedented 7 October 2023 attack on Israel — more than 67,000 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the territory’s health ministry. The United Nations has described the destruction as catastrophic, reporting that over 90 percent of Gaza’s housing has been damaged or destroyed.

In Abualouf’s BBC report, voices from across Gaza speak of a deepening despair. What was once a vibrant community has been reduced to survival mode, with people sleeping in tents, garages, or the ruins of their former homes. Aid is sparse, clean water is hard to find, and education has been disrupted for an entire generation of children.

Al-Wahidi, a former teacher, tried to bring some normalcy to her children’s lives by setting up a makeshift school in Deir al-Balah during one of her displacements. Her oldest daughter made it out of Gaza to study at Glasgow University, but the rest of the family remains scattered. Her husband stayed behind in Gaza City to care for his elderly parents, while she fled again last month with her youngest children as Israeli forces advanced.

While the destruction continues, discontent within Gaza is also growing. Many civilians, weary of death and devastation, are turning their frustration toward Hamas.

In the BBC report, local activist Mohammed Diab referred to 7 October as a "black day in our people's history," while human rights advocate Khalil Abu Shammala criticized what he called the "political hypocrisy" of Palestinian factions that have failed to address the people's suffering in any meaningful way.

"For 23 months of destruction, these factions have shown no real national stance — not in politics, not in relief work, not even in respecting the people's will," Abu Shammala said.

Although there are ongoing indirect peace negotiations in Egypt, reportedly involving U.S. mediation and a proposal backed by President Donald Trump, few in Gaza dare to believe an end is in sight. The memory of previous broken ceasefires looms large.

"We expected it would be one month, two months, three months — but two years? It’s a very long time," Al-Wahidi said. "Every second we look at the news to see what happened. And I’m afraid that this ceasefire will not be completed, and that the war will come back to us."

“When will the war end?”

This question — posed repeatedly in Abualouf’s piece — is now etched into the collective consciousness of Gaza’s two million residents. The war has become not just a backdrop, but a defining force in their daily lives.

As the rubble piles higher and the trauma deepens, many Gazans are simply exhausted. They want peace. They want safety. And above all, they want to stop counting the dead. But with little progress on the ground and trust in leadership fading fast, hope is becoming harder to hold onto.

Original reporting by Rushdi Abualouf, Gaza Correspondent, BBC News, Istanbul, with additional reporting by Yolande Knell in Jerusalem.

BBC article: “Gaza war: Two years on, Gazans share stories of loss and longing for peace” (Published October 2025)