Her testimony

Hello everyone, my name is Haya, I’m 20 years old, and I live in Gaza.

I come from a family of seven. We were trying to live a simple life despite the difficult circumstances, until the war destroyed everything. Our house was completely destroyed, and we’ve been displaced more than eleven times in search of safety. But in Gaza, there is no safe place.

Before the war, we lived a peaceful and beautiful life. We had a lovely, warm house. My father was financially well-off; he provided us with everything we needed: food, drink, clothing, and entertainment. I had started my university studies, but after a month, our lives were turned upside down. The war began. We stayed in our homes, afraid and waiting for it to end. But then something unexpected happened: the Israeli army ordered us to flee south. We left everything behind and fled, and life began without us.

We are now living in dire humanitarian conditions, suffering from hunger and lack of food, clean water, and medicine, with no source of income. During this war, I was forced to drop out of school due to the deteriorating economic situation. Every semester, I wish I could attend university, but I have to postpone it because I cannot afford the tuition fees. I can’t even afford school supplies. We have lost everything: our dignity, our homes, our livelihoods, our sense of security, our health, and our education.

We need you by our side. Anyone with a shred of humanity in their heart can feel us. We need you until Palestine is liberated. Free Palestine 🇵🇸

Question and Answer

Hello Haya, and thank you for agreeing to answer these few questions so we can get to know you better. This “interview” will be divided into 4 sections: Life in Gaza before, the turning point, the present, and a conclusion.

Life in Gaza

How would you describe life in Gaza before you were forced to leave, for those who have never visited? Gaza was a beautiful, sophisticated city full of enjoyable places. Its sea was lovely, and the people were kind and loving.

What is your educational and professional background? I am still studying Business Administration at Al-Azhar University.

Where did you go to school? At an UNRW school? Gaza Preparatory School

What were your favorite subjects in school ? I love Arabic and English.

Do you still have any family ? Are you still in touch with them ? Yes, I lost a lot and was separated from many people, but I’m still with my family, my mother, and my siblings.

The turning point

When did you realize you had to leave? What was the trigger? When they ordered us to evacuate, we didn’t obey. We stayed in our house until they sent a quadcopter and it opened fire on us en masse, forcing us to flee.

How did your departure from Gaza unfold? What were you able to take with you? I was displaced. These were the worst conditions. We fled under fire from planes, on foot. Each person carried a bag with a few clothes and belongings. It was a difficult journey. We ran out of food and water until we reached some areas in the south, where they gave us

Under what conditions did this departure take place? It had begun with the siege of Gaza, and food supplies were dwindling due to constant artillery shelling. Quadcopters were constantly firing, and the app’s messages were terrifying.

Did you receive any help? When we moved south, we received aid from local residents. We tried to buy some tents to receive food aid, but it was cut off.

Explanatory note on the term “quadcopter” in this context. These are not the DJI recreational drones you see at weddings.

Israeli forces in Gaza are using armed quadcopter drones, documented since 2023 by Forensic Architecture, B'Tselem, Amnesty, and reports from Israeli soldiers via Breaking the Silence.

Several configurations:
- Quadcopters equipped with light machine guns that fire on civilians from the air
- Suicide quadcopters that crash into and explode on target
- Acoustic harassment quadcopters (they broadcast the cries of children or babies to lure residents out of shelters, then open fire)
- Identification and targeting quadcopters linked to a facial recognition database

The concrete present

How is the camp organized today? What exactly are you living in? They are currently announcing a number of tents, each managed by a representative. I live in a tent.

How many dollar week and what does that allow you to buy? Unfortunately, there isn’t a fixed amount right now. We only buy essential food items; there are no luxuries, and unfortunately, we are indebted to the vendors.

What are the prices for basic necessities and hygiene products, as well as food? Prices are not fixed; we have low stock market prices. Products are more affordable than before. Essential food items are very expensive. For example, potatoes are $4, chicken is $3, and chicken is $5. Note that prices were much lower before the war.

What can you buy where you are? Canned goods, pasta, and lentils.

How do you access the Internet? There is commercial internet in each area; a card for 8 hours costs one shekel.

Is there mutual aid in the camp, and how is it organized? Is there mutual cooperation in the camp, and how is it organized? There is cooperation among the people; we have become neighbors. There is no designated person in charge of the camp.

How are your daily lives organized in the camp? Life in the camp is different from what you experience in a family. Everyone is in the same place; there is no privacy, no peace. But there is cooperation; people share the same life, all trying to cope.

Conclusion

If you could speak to everyone, what would you say to them? I am an ordinary person who lived an ordinary life. I was the heroine of my own story, and I have a story yet to be written. I am someone with dreams that may have stopped, that I may have given up on and abandoned one day, but I still aspire to them. I don’t want to go back to my previous life because that’s impossible. I want to live a life like other people’s. I want to wake up without having to think about how I’m going to eat. I don’t want to cook my food on plastic and cardboard. I want a life that resembles life itself

Voices from Gaza

A voice from Gaza : Haya