War in Gaza

The constant buzzing of drones hovering overhead, the deep double tap of navy cannons and the high pitch sound of F16s screaming down to drop their destructive loads, are all too powerful reminders of an individual’s precarious existence on this small stretch of land called Gaza. As both sides confronted each other with extreme ruthlessness for over 50 days in the summer of 2014, those caught in the middle, mostly women and children, suffered indescribable pain, sorrow and loss. Places deemed safe havens suddenly became legitimate military targets like schools, hospital and mosques. Children were killed in broad daylight as they were playing on the beach or on ferry’s wheels and families of 28 members were completely wiped off the face of the earth as they prepared for the Muslim breaking of the fast known as Iftar. Even those children that did not perish in the conflict have not been left unscathed for the exposure to extreme levels of violence and death will undoubtedly lead to post traumatic stress disorder, depression and sleeping disorders. This, rather than an enduring peace, will be a legacy of the conflict for many years to come.