‘One day I hope the world knows what we are going through’: Palestinian girl, 13, trapped in Gaza, describes horror of life amid constant bombing and insists ‘nowhere is safe’
- Zaina has called on the outside world not to neglect the Palestinians in Gaza
A 13-year-old Palestinian girl trapped in Gaza has described the horror of living amid constant bombing, insisting that ‘nowhere is safe’.
Zaina fears for her life amid Israeli airstrikes and fears she will lose loved ones.
After Hamas launched its attack last Saturday, Israel launched a campaign of airstrikes on Gaza in revenge.
Zaina and her family had to leave Gaza City and head south to an area that Israel assured them would be safe.
In an emotional message shared with The mirrorshe said that on the first day of the Israeli attacks they had to leave suddenly, without knowing where they were going or whether they would be safe.
She implored the outside world not to neglect the Palestinians in Gaza, adding that she hopes “one day the world realizes what we are going through.”
Zaina and her family had to leave Gaza City and head south to an area that Israel assured them would be safe
Palestinians search the rubble of a building after an Israeli attack in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on October 17, 2023
Her message read: “Today Israeli warplanes struck near the Gaza Rafah crossing, not far from where Zaina and her family fled. This comes as Israel continues to prepare for its ground invasion of Gaza, which could intensify the conflict and kill even more people. The World Health Organization also warned that Gaza is in its last 24 hours of fuel, electricity and water.”
Zaina said she has had no contact with her extended family, including her neighbors, since the first day of the attack on Gaza. This is because they had to evacuate on the first day.
She said that when they did get a chance to talk and call each other, it only lasted for minutes, without knowing anything about the situation they were in.
A Palestinian reacts as he is helped over the rubble after an Israeli airstrike on buildings in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip on October 17, 2023
She added, “You start thinking about them, about your neighbors, about your family, what if you lose them. Your friends, you just can’t call them, sometimes they don’t respond when you call them, and that’s very difficult and you start thinking about things: what if something happened to them, what would you do? And everything just happens in your head, which is very, very difficult.
The Palestinian death toll from the Israeli bombardment of Gaza rose today to around 3,000.
At least six people have been killed in an Israeli airstrike on a UN Palestinian refugee agency school.
The violence raged as Washington announced that US President Joe Biden would visit Israel tomorrow to express support for the war against Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip.