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Karim, a qualified medical professional in his twenties, is originally from Gaza City. Before the recent forced displacement order from Israeli authorities, he resided in the ruins of his family house with his parents and brothers. He has now been displaced over a dozen times due to the war and escaped an Israeli strike in Rafah. He kept a journal over the last few weeks.

August 17, 2025

Following 24 months, I've lost all hope. I don't believe the news about a ceasefire. My dad insists we must relocate to central Gaza soon, before they force us out once more. Were this anyone else, the UN would have stepped in. But for Palestinians, nothing. Now they propose relocating us to South Sudan – a land torn by internal conflict, overflowing with displaced people. There are two million of us, trapped in less than 20 sq km, just facing gradual death. And the world will remain indifferent. An ex-prime minister once said, "Maybe we can in time forgive the Palestinians for killing our sons, but it will be harder for us to excuse them for having forced us to end their children's lives." That sums it up. At times, I think Israel ought to be analyzed by mental health experts – perhaps then the world would finally understand the insanity we endure.

August 18, 2025

I caught a ride to Deir al-Balah with a acquaintance – it felt like an bold move: cars altered to transport more passengers, attached carts like rescue vessels. You cling tightly with everything you have, because if you don't, you could tumble onto the exposed street and be lost.

Close to al-Nabulsi Square I saw a "fire belt" – a line of flames across the heavens. Military aircraft carved a line of explosions above Gaza City, in succession; smoke plumes rose and everything below them was obliterated. I counted several missiles – then stopped counting because it seemed pointless. I have to find refuge for my loved ones – an apartment, a garage, any small place. My thoughts wander, I forget things, I miss appointments – the turmoil takes them away. All I feel is a tight, small panic and the hollow hope that we will survive the next day.

August 19, 2025

Yesterday, I at last succeeded to secure a storage space – around $400, approximately 335 pounds a month. That's the most affordable you can find, because need is great while homes and structures are bombed to the ground. This "garage" has almost no roof. The landlord even offered me a tiny apartment for 2,500 shekels – frankly, not even a flat in Dubai costs that much. In conflicts and emergencies people grow hostile, more selfish, looking to benefit from others' misery. And perhaps that's "typical", or instead the predictable conduct of someone who has endured two years of forced displacement, expulsion, starvation – especially inside the world's largest prison.

So I started arranging my new home – sweeping, arranging, attempting to create a habitable space. I must not permit even a moment to think about my old room prior to the violence, my box-spring bed, my computer station, the air conditioner, our house … I must not allow nostalgia to consume me. I just keep moving. Forward, forward – never looking back.

28 August 2025

For a seven days now I've been separated from my mother and father. Despite what my father said initially, they cling to hope – or to refusal – believing that all the negotiations between the various mediators means Gaza City won't be evacuated. So they decline to move. For 24 months the global powers has acted arbitrarily while we suffer, and we clutch at the smallest, most obvious lies – the little straws that allow us to survive. The harsh reality is the Israelis were always clear about their objectives: "We'll annihilate Gaza." They did. "We will resettle you." They did. "We will cut off food and water." They did. "We'll invade Rafah." All attention focused there. The American president objected – they proceeded regardless. What's the next step? Gaza City. It will be cleared, become a wasteland like Rafah. I'm taking a few quiet days now – a brief, fragile peace I've deserved.

9 September 2025

My mother and father are finally with me. We turned the garage into a dwelling – rooms, a little private space. Naturally the barriers are just plastic tarpaulins. I managed to get the internet for a moment. It has come to this: the armed forces released a mandatory evacuation notice for the entire northern region, including the western part. People have no energy, no money, no desire to abandon their houses – many would prefer death than go out.

This afternoon our neighbour told us the Israelis even bombed Qatar. Oh my god. They have no restraints now. Qatar – with the biggest US installation in the Middle East – was reportedly hit by a force associated with the US. I think it's clear what follows and what it implies for the population: systematic destruction to the very end. They've been given carte blanche.

September 15, 2025

My mother's birthday – one more modest observance under inhuman circumstances. Things have eased a bit, but this is not the life we were meant to live. My device displayed photos from her celebration three years ago: a handmade dessert and my preferred American treat. I remember giving her 1984 by George Orwell – we used it as fuel for bread at the end of 2023 because we had no fuel or timber to cook. What would Orwell think of us now? I prefer to think he'd forgive us. I dried my eyes in secret and kept going. The central area is getting more crowded. People are worn out: they don't want to die, but many feel they already have.

I grasped my mom's palm, kissed it, and murmured "Best wishes". She has been unwell for several days. I penned a note and apologised because I lack a single cent for a cake (which would be priced at seventy dollars) or even a small gift.

September 21, 2025

Nations like the UK and Australia have acknowledged Palestine as a state – why now and for what purpose? Israel continues to bomb us, the genocide persists. But currently we can legally perish as a recognized nation, we have a state. What a comfort.

Following immense hardship, numerous nations that have denied for almost 24 months that the organized eradication of a people was occurring in the territory are suddenly speaking up. Celebrities and artists join in because it's now popular. Previously, people would dismiss and say, "Unfortunately, I don't know enough about the Middle East, it's too sensitive for me to comment." Two-faced individuals.

September 25, 2025

Identical harsh pattern, day after day – individuals perish from hunger, from weakness, from the missiles that never stop. A man not far from us passed away lately. Initially I assumed it must have been the typical violence – a attack, a random shot. But no. He just fell. His life ended. I still can't believe how ordinary his death felt, how quickly a existence can disappear and result in a hollow silence. I was stunned, like I'd been desensitized to this type of tragedy and suddenly woke up.

My day is a guide to staying alive: fetch water, {scavenge for