Civilians in the densely populated Gaza Strip, home to 2.3 million people, have been living in fear for the past five days as Israel launched airstrikes in response to a rocket barrage by Hamas. According to health officials in Gaza, more than 1,000 Palestinians have lost their lives as of Thursday morning, though the number of civilian casualties remains unconfirmed. With both Israel and Egypt closing their borders, a significant portion of the population has been left with no escape route.
The airstrikes have left residents in a state of constant anxiety. Aisha Abu Daqqa, a Gaza Strip resident, describes the experience, saying, “You’d hear the sound in the distance, and then you’d feel it shaking the house. For now, all we can do is wait and pray.”
Mazen Mohammad, a 38-year-old resident of Gaza, narrates how his family spent a terrifying night huddled together as explosions rocked the area. “We felt like we were in a ghost town as if we were the only survivors,” he told AFP.
As the situation worsens, concerns are mounting about the humanitarian crisis in the long-blockaded Palestinian enclave. Israel has now imposed a complete siege, severing water, food, and energy supplies.
Gaza’s sole power plant ceased operations after running out of fuel, as reported by Gaza’s electricity provider. Videos circulating on social media show residents resorting to using car batteries to charge their phones.
The strain on Gaza’s Al-Shifa hospital is reaching a breaking point due to the influx of patients and dwindling medical supplies, including oxygen, according to the Ministry of Health.
Canned food is rapidly disappearing from store shelves as people scramble to stockpile supplies. The only slaughterhouse in the territory is closed, and vegetables, typically grown near the border, are in short supply.
Since Israel’s crackdown on Hamas in 2007, Gaza residents have faced severe restrictions on their daily lives, with virtually no opportunities for escape or respite.
With the announcement of a complete siege by Israel, encompassing the blockade of electricity, food, and water supply, the prospects for the residents of this narrow strip caught in the crossfire are indeed dire.