We’re now hearing from Yahya Hussen, a 30-year-old fashion designer who fled Al-Zahra, a neighbourhood just south of Gaza City, to Deir Al-Balah in October. He tells us:
The network is so bad.
Unfortunately it wasn’t a good night. There was bombing close to us. I was just saying to my family that I didn’t sleep well last night – I jumped from my bed seven times at least.
I woke up properly at 9ish and had breakfast with my family. We had za’atar and olive oil, hummus and shakshuka. Sometimes you find stuff like this, but if you do it’s double the price.
The prices are astronomical. Not everyone can buy stuff like this – eggs or coffee or za’atar. When people get aid they might keep half of it and sell the other half. So if they had 10 pieces of cheese, they might keep five, sell five, and then use that money to try to buy eggs.
Now I’m sitting, not doing anything.
In the past I used to wake up – choose my clothes, take a bath. That process that used to take a few minutes now it takes all day.
If I want to take wash now I wake up early in the morning and have to light a fire to heat the water, and wait for it, getting smoke in your eyes and your lungs. And after the water is heated you go to wash. And after you finish you go back to the barrel you got the water from and try to refill it because many families are using the same barrel.
This is the best morning I can hope for now. Other people can’t find food, water, nothing.
Emily Foster is a globe-trotting journalist based in the UK. Her articles offer readers a global perspective on international events, exploring complex geopolitical issues and providing a nuanced view of the world’s most pressing challenges.
