On the third day of Israel’s offensive on the Gaza Strip, the Naji family experienced the horrors of war firsthand. Siham Naji was in her living room with her husband Khaled when an Israeli missile struck their neighbor’s house, causing significant damage to their own home. Siham was knocked to the floor and enveloped in dust and destruction. Miraculously, she managed to locate her husband, buried under the rubble, and with the help of their son Mustafa, they all escaped, injured but alive.
The Naji family home, a labor of love that Khaled had built over the years, was reduced to ruins. The house, which had been a source of pride for the family, featured multiple rooms, a kitchen, a large bathroom, and even plans for a balcony and a swimming pool. Khaled described it as his own palace, where all his dreams resided.
In the aftermath of the attack, the Naji family faced the difficult decision of where to seek shelter. They briefly tried staying at a school and a hospital but found the conditions unbearable. Ultimately, they made the heartbreaking choice to return to their destroyed home, viewing it as a better option than living on the streets or in crowded tents. They cleared one room of rubble, laid down mattresses, and decided to make the best of their dire circumstances.
Sadly, the Naji family is not alone in their plight. The Ministry of Public Works and Housing in Gaza reports that more than half of all residential units, approximately 222,000 homes, have been damaged by Israeli bombing. Approximately 40,000 homes have been completely destroyed. These statistics, however, have not been updated since November 6, when the ministry collapsed.
The Naji home now stands as a haunting reminder of the destruction. Debris litters the premises, with broken concrete and metal pipes jutting out. The once vibrant garden, filled with guava, fig, lemon, and date palm trees, is now in ruins. The family sleeps in a room without doors or windows, enduring the cold and relying on borrowed bedding.
Despite their hardships, the Naji family remains resilient. Layan Naji, 15, finds solace in the fact that her beloved cat, Sondos, survived the air raid. Siham dreams of rebuilding their house, making it even better than before, and reclaiming the joy they once found in their garden.
The situation in Gaza is a stark reminder of the devastating toll that war takes on innocent civilians. As the international community grapples with finding a solution to the ongoing conflict, families like the Najis continue to endure unimaginable hardships. The urgency to address this crisis and provide support to those affected cannot be overstated.
