Shattered Lives, Unyielding Spirits

“I am Thuraya Al Gourani, 85. My life has been shaped by displacement. I still remember the day in 1948 as my father hurriedly gathered us to flee our home in Al Faluja, a small village located between Hebron and Gaza, as Israeli militias approached. We escaped to Khan Younis, leaving everything behind. Since then, I have endured seven wars. The latest is the current onslaught on Gaza. Each stripped away more of our dignity. This current war is the cruelest and most relentless, lasting longer than any before. We are trapped in a 4x4 meter room with over ten people, deprived of food, water, and basic needs. Bombs shake the ground constantly, and the fear of death lingers with every moment, as we cling to the fragile hope of returning to the home we once knew.

Our lives have been shattered, leaving us deprived of the basic necessities. This war is merciless beyond imagination, particularly towards women and children. In the past, we fled without the ability to carry our belongings. Upon our return, we found our home violated. This time, there is no house but rubble to return to. Gone are our memories and sense of security. This war has stripped me of everything—my dignity, my past, my future.”

Women bear an especially heavy burden during these times. Kholoud Al Gourani, my 28-year-old granddaughter, recounts the horrors with a heavy heart:

"This war defies all comprehension. We never imagined we would lose our homes, our cherished memories, and our loved ones. Displacement has become our constant reality. At our last refuge, Al Amal Hospital, we woke to find it encircled by Israeli soldiers and tanks, forcing us to flee once more. I will never forget the agony of losing my dear friend Ikhlas, who died alongside her newborn just two weeks after giving birth. The war rages on, claiming the lives of civilians—mothers, daughters, and sons. Our hope for peace feels like a distant dream, overshadowed by our reality of loss and suffering."

Despite her tender age of only 14, Leen Nahal, a girl born in Gaza, has endured the trauma of five wars and has been displaced more than four times, residing in a tent that offers little relief from the summer heat and winter cold. She reflects on her experience:

"This war has irreversibly changed my life. We have been displaced repeatedly, losing my education, my friends. The fear we live with is beyond words. Once, we could buy food, fruits, and clothes; now, eight of us are crammed into a makeshift tent. I bear responsibilities I never imagined— my younger sisters."

"I was once a top student, while my friends who left Gaza continue their education. Now, I sit in a tent with all my books, school uniforms, and bag gone. I feel as if I am losing my future, my education, and my childhood. My dream is to end this war and become a history teacher, to share the story of Palestine’s history and our unending suffering. I urge children around the world to support Palestinian children. We are dying every day. I call for an immediate end to this war so that we may finally find a chance to live."

The weight of war is carried differently by each generation, yet the pain, loss, and strength thread through them all.

For Thuraya, war has undermined a lifetime of stability, forcing her to confront the grinding erosion of home and hope. For Kholoud, war has robbed her of friends, family, and the dreams of a secure future. And for Leen, war has rewritten her childhood, trading schoolbooks for survival in a world no child should know.

Yet across these three generations, an unyielding spirit endures. The weight of war has changed us all, but it is the women—mothers, daughters, sisters—who often bear the heaviest burden, struggling to preserve their families and futures amidst the chaos and destruction. Their stories, intertwined with pain and strength, call for recognition and hope.