It has been nearly 400 days, yet Gaza’s suffering, pain, and misery show no signs of ending. In fact, it’s only getting worse with each passing day.

Every day, the Israeli army pushes the limits of genocide, systematically wiping out Gaza bit by bit. The horror has reached an unimaginable level, as they now torment people by burning them alive.

Imagine this: you’re sleeping in a shelter, having already lost your home, your possessions, and everything you once held dear. You’re huddled with your family in a cramped, makeshift space, hoping for just a moment of peace. 

But suddenly, the shelter is bombed, and a fire breaks out. Right before your eyes, your children and spouse are engulfed in flames, and you’re powerless to save them. What would you feel in that moment?

Perhaps you’d think that it would be better to perish in that fire than to live through such unbearable agony. This is the daily reality for many in Gaza. This is their pain, their suffering, their nightmare.

The Cries of Victims

If you read this, it might leave you shaken. Just imagining what the victims go through is overwhelming—so, how do we even begin to grasp the pain of those who actually endure it?

On the night of Monday, 14th October, the Al-Dalou family sought refuge in a tent. It was 1:15 a.m., and the family, exhausted, lay down to sleep in the Al-Aqsa compound, hoping for a moment of peace. But in the dead of night, the Israeli army launched an airstrike on two innocent civilians sheltering there.

The strike was so devastating that the tents caught fire. Four people burned to death on the spot, and dozens were severely injured. Tragically, among the dead were two members of the Al-Dalou family: 12-year-old Abdulrahman and 37-year-old Alaa, a loving son and a devoted wife.

Ahmed al-Dalou, the head of the family, shared through tears,

“Three times I tried to pull him [Abdulrahman] out of the fire, but his body kept slipping back in.”

When Ahmed finally managed to save his other son from the blaze, he was rushed to the hospital, where he fought for his life for four agonizing days. As they carried him away, the boy tried to comfort his father, saying, “Don’t worry, Dad. I’m strong. I’ll be okay.”

But the memories of that night haunt Ahmed. “That night plays in my mind every single day,” he says. “Each time I relive it, my heart shatters over and over again.”

When asked how he feels now, Ahmed’s surviving son repeatedly says,

“My brother is gone. The light of my world is gone.”

Ahmed painfully recalls, “I saw people recording videos. You saw it in the video, didn’t you? My brother was reaching out, pleading for help, but no one could save him. I couldn’t save him. I’m filled with despair. How do I go on living?”

And this is just one incident. One story among countless others in Gaza. Each day brings new horrors. Rescue teams tremble when they see small hands or feet sticking out from the rubble, lifeless, as they dig through the ruins.

This is the grim reality of Gaza. A place where life is extinguished day after day, and the world watches in silence.

The Aftermath of Such Incidences

In these horrific incidents, people lose their lives, suffer severe injuries, and endure unimaginable pain. But what happens on the ground afterward—the chaos, the devastation—cannot be described in mere words.

In fires like these, where victims’ bodies are burned 80-90%, survival becomes nearly impossible. Gaza simply doesn’t have the resources to treat such critical injuries. The desperate need for blood adds to the crisis, leading to frantic, heartbreaking scenes of people running around, begging for donations.

Adding to the suffering, the U.S. has cut off 90% of the humanitarian aid it promised to Gaza. To make things worse, the Israeli army has blocked all aid routes into Gaza, plunging the region deeper into chaos.

With scarce resources, constant destruction, and the looming fear of death, the people of Gaza are on the verge of losing hope. Right now, their only plea is for a ceasefire.

The global powers must unite—not to arm Israel with more weapons—but to demand an end to this massacre. Ceasefire is not just a request; it is the last hope for the survival of a people. If the world continues to stand by in silence, it will soon bear witness to the complete annihilation of Gaza.

Killing innocent men, women, and children is not war. If you truly want to fight, fight with words, with reason, and with justice. Slaughtering defenceless civilians is not an act of bravery—it is the ultimate symbol of cowardice. It is time for the world to wake up before it’s too late.

Every single individual in Gaza has had something stolen from them– It alone highlights the despair, cruelty, and injustices inflicted by Israel on Gaza over the past year.

Since October 7, 2023, more than 41,000 Palestinians have been killed, with 70% of them being children. According to UNICEF, Palestine is now one of the most dangerous places for children on earth. 

Even more devastating, over 90,000+ people have been injured, and 10,000+ remain missing. The extent of oppression by Israel in one year is they have destroyed almost everything in Gaza.

According to the United Nations and  World Health Organization, Israel has damaged or destroyed more than 50% of Gaza’s homes—80% of commercials, 87% of school buildings, 68% of road networks and cropland.

For the people of Gaza, there is nothing left. What makes the situation even more dire is the state of their healthcare system. Of the 37 multispecialty hospitals, only 16 are partially functioning, and with no fuel entering since last year, the lack of resources has left injured civilians with limited care options.

Every Minute is Like Hell In Gaza

The situation has become so dire that the people don’t know what the next moment will bring. It is not just a crisis of a few months; the people of Gaza have been living in constant fear for over a year.

According to reports, every hour in the Gaza Strip, 15 people are losing their lives, 6 of whom are children. Thirty-five others are injured, and over 42 bombs are being dropped from above. There is no place left in Gaza where people can seek refuge because every hour, 12 buildings are being reduced to rubble by bombs.

The situation has grown so desperate that parents have resorted to writing their children’s names, along with the father’s name, on their tiny hands. That way, if their children die in the bombings, at least they can be identified.

People are living through a relentless nightmare, unsure of what will happen next. They have lost not just their homes but, for many, their fathers and children too.

The people of Gaza are enduring unimaginable suffering every minute of every day. The air they breathe, the ground they stand on—everything around them is a reminder of loss, fear, and devastation. Every second that passes is filled with the dread of not knowing if it might be their last.

The Further Escalation

The situation in Gaza worsens with each passing day. The citizens are lost, uncertain of where to go or where to find safety. The fear that the Israeli army has instilled over the past year has left people with no hope or sense of security in their own lives.

Reports say that 87% of children in Gaza are mentally depressed and in urgent need of psychological treatment. People don’t even have food to eat. When humanitarian aid is sent, desperate civilians rush to it, and in the chaos, only the strongest manage to grab whatever is available, while others are left with nothing.

The shelters provided by the UN and other organizations have also been bombed by Israeli forces, leaving people wondering where they can even live. Many have been forced to camp near the seashore, but even there, they face new dangers. During the night, when the tides rise, water floods their tents, and tragically, young children are often swept away by the strong currents.

In the past year, there hasn’t been a single day without attacks by the Israeli army. No place in Gaza has been spared. People are bombed in their sleep—many who go to bed at night never wake up. Hospitals have been targeted, bombing the very buildings where civilians were receiving medical care. The cruelty reaches its peak when even schools where innocent children should feel safe have been attacked.

The escalation has reached unbearable levels. First, the Gaza Strip was engulfed in violence, then the attacks extended to the occupied West Bank, followed by 

Lebanon, and now even Iran, is under threat. The Israeli forces seem relentless, showing no intention of stopping. For the past year, they have been fixated on taking the lives of innocent people, with no end in sight.

What is Next For the People Of Gaza?

At this point, hope is all that the civilians of Gaza have left. With Egypt and Israel having closed their borders, people in Gaza are unable to cross to safety. The UN and WHO, along with other major organizations, have repeatedly called for a ceasefire, and while there were one or two brief pauses in the conflict, it quickly resumed for one reason or another.

Throughout the past year, people across Europe and other countries have protested against Benjamin Netanyahu’s actions. However, the leaders of major nations have turned a deaf ear. Instead, countries like the U.S. and those in Europe have supplied Israel with weapons, further fueling the destruction of Gaza.

The coming year may hold even worse challenges for the people of Gaza. Iran has already launched attacks on Israel, and Israel will surely retaliate. Netanyahu has made it clear—either Israel survives or the nations of the Middle East, including Gaza, will face further devastation.

For this war to end, the President of the U.S., the Prime Minister of the UK, and the President of Russia will need to intervene directly. If they are serious about stopping the war, the first step must be to stop supplying weapons. Only then will the conflict begin to de-escalate. Otherwise, no matter how much the UN and other organizations try to bring peace, this war could drag on for another year, ten years, or even indefinitely.

Under the guise of military operations, the Israeli army seems intent on systematically destroying Gaza’s education system. Already, 80% of schools have been wiped out in the bombings, and the remaining ones are under constant attack. 

It feels as though the Israeli army is leaving no part of Palestinian life untouched. The targeted violence against education suggests an intention to completely dismantle the Palestinian education system, an act known as ‘scholasticide.’

On October 9, 2023, Grade 5 and 6 students at the Rosary Sister’s School in Gaza were supposed to take their science exam. But they never had the chance, as Israel launched a devastating military assault just two days before. Currently, out of the 625,000 students in Gaza, 60% are either dead, injured, or missing due to the ongoing genocide. The situation is dire, with the future of education in Gaza hanging by a thread.

The loss of Education At This Point is Immeasurable

Before October 7, 2023, more than 6 million students received education in Gaza, with 20,000 teachers actively teaching. Now, that reality has been completely overturned. Schools, universities, and other educational institutions in Gaza remain closed.

Libraries have been left unusable, and a severe oil shortage has led to power outages, making it difficult for students to continue learning. Many people in Gaza fled to Egypt during the war, but they were unable to access educational services there due to a lack of proper documents.

For those who remain in Gaza, local efforts to provide education continue. However, every time they attempt to start teaching in tents or small makeshift spaces, the ceasefire breaks, and bombings resume.

“They’re unable to flee, and they remain in an area that continues to be battered,” said Tess Ingram of UNICEF. “It’s tough to provide them with certain services, such as mental health and psychosocial support or consistent education and learning.”

The situation could worsen if the education system is not restored in Gaza. Israel’s operations risk increasing unemployment, hunger, and long-term challenges for the region.

Israeli Army is Attacking Schools

The Israeli army continues to target the remaining schools in Gaza, even after 80% have already been destroyed. Many people, left homeless by the conflict, have taken refuge in these schools, but they are still under attack. 

The Israeli military justifies these strikes by claiming that some Hamas commanders are using the schools as command centers.

“Israeli forces have repeatedly struck schools, saying Hamas fighters use them as ‘command centers’ to plan attacks,”

stated Gaza’s Health Ministry

In one such attack, over 22 people were killed, including 17 women and children and a 3-month-old baby.

By destroying these schools, the Israeli army is not only demolishing education centers 

but also crushing the hopes and dreams of countless people. The destruction of schools has far-reaching consequences beyond the immediate loss of life and infrastructure. 

These attacks rob children of their right to education and strip entire families of the hope for a better future. Once a place of learning and safety, schools have become symbols of despair and loss.

The ongoing bombardment leaves Gaza’s educational system in ruins, making it nearly impossible for students to resume their studies. 

With no safe spaces left for children to learn and teachers facing the threat of arrest or injury, the future of Gaza’s youth seems increasingly bleak.

The Extinguishing Hope

In September, schools in Gaza reopened, as they do every year. However, with no buildings left, locals gathered children in small tents to continue their education. But even this tiny act of resilience didn’t go unnoticed by the Israeli army, which responded with raids on schools in Gaza and the West Bank.

Teachers and educators were detained during these raids without any explanation or warning. Israeli forces grabbed them and took them away, claiming it was part of their ongoing operations.

“Lessons were disrupted at the school after the Israeli raid,”

a witness told Anadolu.

These raids not only halted education but also crushed any remaining hope for stability. By targeting teachers, the Israeli army is extinguishing the last flickers of hope for Gaza’s children, leaving a future filled with uncertainty.

However, the only remaining hope for the children of Gaza lies in the hands of the UN and other international organizations. Immediate and decisive action is needed to address this crisis.

Education must always be prioritized, regardless of how challenging the current situation is. Denying this fundamental right to the children of Gaza is unacceptable.

“Attacks on education cannot be tolerated. The international community must send a clear message that those who target schools and universities will be held responsible,” said experts, emphasizing that accountability includes the obligation to finance and rebuild the shattered education system.

If international organizations do not intervene now, who will take responsibility for the future of Gaza’s children? The international community must recognize that time is running out for Gaza’s children. 

With immediate intervention, an entire generation can access education, an essential foundation for future stability and peace. Rebuilding the whole education system and building will take a lot of time.

However, restoring hope and dreams and the possibility of a brighter future is still in the hands of the global community, which must come together and react to this crisis. Now is the time for action—before it’s too late.