Born and raised in the neighbourhood, Emad Jameel's entire life has been defined by fighting. His childhood was dominated by the first and second intifadas, or Palestinian uprisings, and since Hamas seized control of Gaza in 2007, leading Israel to impose a near-total air, land and sea blockade, Sheikh Radwan has been repeatedly hit by airstrikes, both in and outside wartime.
Through it all, however, Jameel, now 31, found solace in friends and family. But he never dreamed of a war like the one Gaza is suffering now, and he never imagined himself homeless, cast adrift from his community and ferrying his children from place to place across the besieged territory in search of ever-elusive safety.
Yesterday, the local health ministry in Gaza said that 21,000 people had now been killed, with thousands more feared to be lying under rubble, and more than 55,000 people injured, as the territory continued to come under heavy bombardment.
"Why are we subjected to such torture? Is it because we live in a cursed place, or is it because the whole world enjoys watching our suffering?" the clothing shop assistant said by phone.
"All I want is to return to my home, even if it is in ruins. I want to live in a tent there and not in unfamiliar places with strangers."
This story is from the December 28, 2023 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the December 28, 2023 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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