Duha: losing father makes joys incomplete and life is bad in Gaza

Upon arriving the home of Duha; 19-year-old girl, where she lives with her brothers and nephews in a simple home. She has been living in this home for 1 year after moving from a rented home. Duha received us with a broad smile even though she had been little bit shy at first we met her till we left.

At first, Duha was confused where to let us seat because the home seems very dark because of power cut off. So, we sat at the entry of the home where the sun light is. “No power since the morning as usual, we are about to forget power as we don’t see it at all”, Duha said.

“I’m always puzzled where to escape from the very hot weather, so I wake up in the morning and spend the whole day on the roof of the house so I can smell the air as no chance to switch on fan during the power cut off” Duha added.

Duha also said: “many things have got changed positively in my life along the past two years; however, my joys have been incomplete”.

While hiding her smile by hand Duha says: “I have got engaged and I will be having a family soon”. After a while of silence, she tells “I’m happy now but all our joys are incomplete, nothing will alleviate the loss of my father”.

Despite the positive events that have taken place in Duha’s life, she cannot forget her parents. “I have successfully finished high school this year. I plan to study Office Management. I am the only one among my siblings who will continue higher education. I want to complete study to achieve my mother’s dream even after her death. ” “I am very excited to study at university; my brothers also encourage me to study at university. I wish I could see the pleasure of my mother and father of my success.”

“I’m happy of joining the university, but I think that I have to wear fine clothes, have stationery and tools. Our financial condition does not help to have this easily” Duha mentioned. “If one of my brothers finds a job that will change our situation to the better, I will be able to buy what we need. Now we can barely bring food and drink.” “We cook food once a week, we live on legumes, falafel, chickpeas. On some days, there is not even the most basic vegetables, such as tomatoes.” About Gaza conditions; Duha innocently says: “We are in Gaza not alive… All the people of Gaza find it difficult to have such life. When I imagine how the girls of my age happily live; I bemoan but I get myself patient and I only thank God because we have nothing to do with this”.

“we live in fear, anxiety, and sorrow not only at war times but also feel that every day”.  While talking to Duha, we heard the sound of the water flowing, she shouted “Water came, water came today, and this is the sixth day of having no water because of the power cut off”.

Immediately, she cut off her conversation and began to fill in the tank with water and doing other household chores that require water such as cleaning dishes. “I feel sleepless during the night fearing to have water while sleeping; so I wake up every while to check water running”. “I started to hate summer as I wish to have shower in the daytime but the lack of water deprives me of doing that”

“Our water filter is still working and it is in good condition, but the problem is that we cannot operate it with the electricity crisis, so we have been buying water from the stations along the past month,” she said.

“It’s expensive for us, because we do not have any steady source of income.” Duha bears many home responsibilities as well as looking after two younger siblings. “I often feel sorry. My younger brothers, Yusuf and Ahmed, have a lot of requirements. They need help with their school lessons. They are still asking when my father and mother will return?” “I wish to travel to change my mood and return to Gaza. I return because I love my family and nephews. I cannot imagine myself living away from them; it’s enough that I lost my father and mother. We went twice this summer to the beach, but we could not swim, the sea water is contaminated with sewage. We sat only on the beach even leisure places in Gaza are not comfortable. ” “I wish we will be living a happy life in Gaza; have no power cut off and have work opportunities. By God will, by next time, I will have finished my study and got work. I want to work to buy all what have been deprived from”. Duha concluded