Empty streets and drawn curtains: As Islamic Jihad and Israel collide, Gaza feels like a ghost town and the war-torn enclave’s residents relive the same scenes over and over again.
On a Friday afternoon, as it does every week for the weekly rest day, the Casa Corniche was one of the few breaths of fresh air in the crowded territory, still packed with people.
A haunted city center
Within 24 hours, this long avenue on the Mediterranean was deserted. Many cafes have closed their doors and street vendors have stayed at home.
Not a living soul in the city center either. Only people who venture outside their homes inspect the damage from the raids, the broken glass on the floor and the scars of the fire.
“We were living peacefully and suddenly on Friday afternoon the bombings started”, testified 40-year-old Mohammed Hamami, who was “surprised” by the Israeli “occupation” of Gaza, home to 2.3 million people, under a strict Israeli siege since 2007.
“Enough, enough!”
The Israeli military says it is carrying out a “preventive” operation in Gaza. It says it only targets Islamic Jihad, the territory’s second-largest armed group after the ruling Hamas. Fifteen militants were killed, according to Israel. Local officials reported 31 dead and 275 wounded.
Among the victims was five-year-old girl Alaa Khatoom. Her family buried her after a raid targeted her compound in Gaza, still wearing her matching pink T-shirt with a ribbon tied in her curly hair.
“Enough, enough!” Says Mr. Hamami. “We live in fear of (Israeli) aggression. “There’s a war every month or every year,” he breathes, while Israel and Gaza’s armed groups have fought four wars since 2007.
Last May 2021, 260 people, including militants, were killed in eleven days on the Palestinian side, while 14 people, including a soldier, were killed in Israel, according to local officials.
“We Feel Alone”
“This last increase brings back images of fear, anxiety, the feeling that we are alone”, explains Dounia Alamal Ismaïl, a resident of the city center who has not slept a night because of the incessant noise, explosions and airstrikes. “I hope that this escalation will not turn into a major conflict and that Egyptian mediation can restore peace,” he adds.
According to Egyptian sources, Cairo is trying to establish a mediation between Israel and the Palestinians, including armed groups in Gaza. But for those living on the ground, the bell is ruined.
I was sitting on the couch with my wife and kids and suddenly everything broke.
A resident of Gaza
In Jabalia, north of the enclave between Egypt, the Mediterranean Sea and Israel, Fouad Farajalla inspects his home. His living room has become a mess of metal sheets and rubble, with the fan still miraculously hanging from a piece of the ceiling.
“I was sitting on the sofa with my wife and children and suddenly everything broke,” he told AFP. “My wife’s arm was broken and my son was hit by shrapnel.”
In the air, as calm seems to return between the two scenes, “Jannana”, Israeli drones watch over everything from the sky, constantly whistling.