I rode away on a camel with my grandmother, along a sandy road, and I started to cry. These words from Ayish Younis, an 89-year-old Palestinian, resonate deeply as he recalls a childhood steeped in nostalgia and loss. Fleeing his village of Barbara during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, Ayish and his family became part of the tragic exodus of approximately 700,000 Palestinians displaced from their homes.
Years passed, and the tiny coastal area of the Gaza Strip became a new home. Despite the challenges, Ayish managed to create a life for his family, building a home from modest beginnings. Yet, after a recent evacuation order from the Israeli military led to the destruction of his home in Rafah, Ayish finds himself again living in a small white canvas tent, surrounded by family and memories but devoid of stability.
His present situation starkly contrasts with the aspirations he held as a young man. Ayish has witnessed the tumult of Gaza through numerous conflicts, and now shares his fears for his children and grandchildren, trapped in a cycle of destruction. He reflects on the grim reality of rebuilding amidst the relentless uncertainties of political conflicts impacting Palestine’s future.
Amidst ongoing conflict, many, including Ayish and his family, harbor doubts about Gaza's future. Reflecting on the recent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, he voices skepticism: I don’t believe Gaza has any future, expressing concern about the extent of destruction that persists within the community.
With family members scattered across the globe and living conditions increasingly dire, the Younis family's story is a testament of resilience, faith, and unyielding aspiration for the lost homeland they yearn to return to. As Ayish poignantly states, After we left Barbara and lived in a tent, we eventually succeeded in building a house. But now, the situation is more than a catastrophe. I don't know what the future holds, and whether we will ever be able to rebuild our house again.
