The attention span of the world’s media is horribly short. New wars, new crises explode – and the press pack moves on to the next story.
While the Israeli bombardment of Gaza and the deaths of its civilian population featured in the headlines throughout 2025, once Trump’s much-heralded Peace Plan was signed back in October, the assumption was made that “all was fixed” and the media spotlight swivelled to other events on the world stage, and is now firmly focused on the war in the Middle East.
The suffering of Gazans has continued
But, of course, all is not fixed. The suffering of ordinary Gazans hasn’t lessened. Israeli air strikes on Gaza have continued, averaging ten a day, and 670 Gazans have been killed since the October 2025 truce. The controllers of the Rafah Border Crossing have been playing a grisly game of Hokey Cokey with access, closing it yet again on March 1, only to partially reopen it in the last few days. The crossing is essential to the provision of basic food and medicine supplies to the population, and every closure triggers further massive shortages of cooking gas and fuel, and blocks aid distribution.
To understand the reality of life for Palestinian families living in Gaza, Sussex Bylines has been in touch via WhatsApp with Duaa, who is currently living in northern Gaza, to learn more about the conditions she and her family face. The account below is a transcript of her responses to our questions.
Duaa’s story
Please will you tell us about yourself and your family and your living conditions?
“My name is Duaa Al-Madhoun, I am thirty years old and I have three children – Huda, five, Khalil, three, and Ali, one.
I now live in a tent in northern Gaza after my home was destroyed in the war. Since the beginning of the war I have been sheltering in one of UNRWA’s schools. I left my home with nothing: no clothes, no food, no money and no blankets. I suffered greatly there, but they told us it was unsafe, so we moved to areas in western Gaza. I thought that it was safe, but the bombing and destruction followed us and I realised that there is no safe place in Gaza.
During that time, we were trapped in northern Gaza and faced the threat of starvation. We couldn’t get any food. My children and I suffered greatly from malnutrition. I lost 25 kilos and my son Khalil relied entirely on intravenous fluids because there was no food. We reached a point where I bought animal feed, ground it up and fed it to my children so that they could survive. We boiled contaminated water and drank it. I dressed my children in plastic bags instead of diapers because they were unavailable or too expensive.
I gave birth to my son Ali during the war in the UNWRA school where we were sheltering, because there were no hospitals, and because we were under siege and it was dangerous for anyone to go out at night. That was the hardest day of my life but thank God my baby was born healthy and safe.
There are so many stories and so much suffering we endured it would take two days to tell them all.
Are food and medical supplies now reaching you?
At the beginning of the war my children and I were trapped in northern Gaza. No food or medicine supplies reached us and we faced a famine that nearly ended my life and the lives of my children.
But now food and medicine are arriving in very small quantities, and their prices are very high. I can’t afford to buy them for my children, especially since I have children who need milk and diapers daily. About ten days ago, the crossings closed and food and medicine started to disappear. I expect we will face another famine if they don’t reopen.
Impact of the war on women and children
How does the war impact women and children in particular?
As a breastfeeding mother I suffered greatly during the famine due to food shortages, which led to vitamin deficiencies, broken bones and abnormal hair loss. I even fainted at times.
Now we wake up at six in the morning and stay up until six in the evening doing housework and cooking over a wood fire because there is no gas. This takes a long time and the smoke from the fire causes respiratory problems for my children, Ali and Khalil, who sometimes choke.
We do laundry every day because there is no washing machines or electricity. Caring for the children takes up a lot of my time, especially since the area is unclean and unsafe because of the rubble of houses. I am afraid that something will fall on my children, that they will eat sand or that insects will bite them. Flies, mosquitoes and rats have been a constant presence throughout the war and displacement.
The war has stolen so much from my children, starting with their laughter, their peace of mind, and their beautiful home. They have no toys, no nice clothes, and no clean place to play. The war has set us back five hundred years.
A sad Ramadan
How was Ramadan this year?
It was a gloomy and sad Ramadan, devoid of the joy of previous years. We lost our loved ones and our friends. We remember them when we used to gather for Iftar and when we used to celebrate Eid-al-Fitr together, happy and joyful.
At the beginning of Ramadan food was available but prices were high and few people could afford it. Now due to the closure of the crossings food is scarce and prices have risen even more than before. We weren’t affected by fasting during Ramadan because our bodies have become accustomed to less food and drink.
Eid will come, and we will be deeply saddened by those we have lost and by our beautiful homes that were destroyed by the occupation. This Eid will be without joy, without loved ones and friends, without new clothes. I couldn’t buy Eid clothes for my children.
The war is not over
What do you want the outside world to know about the present situation in Gaza?
That the war is not over. We’re still suffering – even more so – from shortages of food and medicine and our inability to buy anything. We live in a tent that offers no protection from the cold and the heat. In winter we drown from the heavy rains, and in summer we swelter from the high temperatures. We still cook our food over fires. Nothing has changed. Sometimes we’re bombed and rats and insects get in, and the water is contaminated. Our lives are very difficult.
What were your dreams for the future before the war?
I wanted to become a maths teacher. I worked so hard to get one because I was a temporary teacher not a permanent employee of the Ministry of Education. Now there are no schools, the occupation destroyed them. There is no education. This generation has become ignorant, unable to read or write. I wished for our lives to remain beautiful and happy, and for my children to have all the comforts and a good life. Now my wish is for the war to end and for me and my children to be safe and sound, unharmed, and for us to return to our homes and our former lives. Our lives at the moment are hell.
Photos of Duaa and her children are used with her permission. If you would like to help the family to buy food, medicine and clothes, this is the link to her GoFundMe page: https://gofund.me/7fc0e346
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