Palestinians long for life before Oct. 7 as Gaza war upends lives, future
One year into the Israeli war on Gaza, as winter approaches, Gazans feel hopeless and trapped in an endless cycle of conflict amid tragic living conditions.
One year on from the devastating Oct. 7 attacks on Israel's border communities and the ensuing brutal war in Gaza, Al-Monitor marks the anniversary with special coverage. It includes interviews with prominent Palestinian and Israeli figures, along with reports from Gaza, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — In a camp accommodating thousands of displaced west of Deir al-Balah, a city in central Gaza, only a hammer pounding nails into wood can be heard. Displaced people are busy reinforcing their tents in preparation for a harsh winter after a grueling year.
The people here — who expected to return to their homes in the northern Gaza Strip before the first anniversary of the Israeli war on Oct. 7 — have been gripped by despair with no end in sight to the war, especially since it has now widened in the region to include Lebanon.
One year on, the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip has killed more than 41,000 people and wounded nearly 97,000 others, according to the Health Ministry in the enclave.
