Gazas Ruins Reflect Decades of Displacement for Local Resident

Abdel Mahdi al-Wuheidi’s Life Disrupted by Conflict

In a small fire-lit room within the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza, 85-year-old Abdel Mahdi al-Wuheidi sits with his wife Aziza, also in her 80s. The couple has lived together for over six decades, despite facing numerous challenges throughout their lives. Born in 1940, Abdel Mahdi was a child when the 1948 Nakba, or mass displacement of Palestinians from their homes at the founding of Israel, occurred.

Abdel Mahdi’s family was forced to leave their home in Bir al-Saba, a city in the Naqab Desert, after it was captured by Israeli forces. The family relocated to Gaza, where they initially settled in the Zeitoun neighbourhood before moving to the Jabalia refugee camp. Abdel Mahdi recalls the harsh realities of life as a refugee, including living in tents and facing hunger, exhaustion, and poor sanitation.

Throughout his life, Abdel Mahdi has worked in construction inside Israel, despite being granted work permits for Palestinian labourers. He and his brothers built homes and bought land, but their efforts were ultimately destroyed during the latest Israeli war on Gaza, which began in October 2023. The conflict has left Abdel Mahdi’s home in ruins, forcing him to flee once again.

Abdel Mahdi expresses his deep attachment to his homeland, despite living through two major Nakbas, or displacements, throughout his life. He remembers the heated discussions among families when news of the approaching Zionist Haganah militias first spread, and the decision to leave for Gaza was made. The family’s journey was marked by walking for days, carrying what little they could manage, and never imagining it would become a permanent exile.

As Abdel Mahdi reflects on his life, he notes that the scale of destruction during the latest war surpasses anything he has ever witnessed. His home is now surrounded by rubble, and he is left to wonder what the future holds for him and his family.

Source: Al Jazeera