Three years after the escalation of armed conflict in the Gaza Strip, civilians continue to face persistent displacement, bereavement, and severe obstacles in securing healthcare, according to humanitarian reporting.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reported that displacement remains an ongoing challenge for almost every family across the territory, affecting nearly two million people. Civilians continue to live far from their former homes, mourning deceased relatives while struggling simply to meet basic daily needs.
Displacement and prolonged uncertainty
The ICRC documented accounts of the psychological strain and material hardship experienced by families living in makeshift shelters. Among them is 34-year-old Lina Al Kurdi, who fled her residence with only her identity card and a few clothes under the expectation that she would return within two days. More than a year later, she continues to reside in a tent alongside her sister Reem.
Al Kurdi described the separation from other relatives during their forced flight, telling the ICRC: "It has been the most difficult thing we have been through." She noted that at the moment of displacement she could not process the events, adding that her primary hope remains returning to her home.
Childhood shaped by conflict
The sustained war has fundamentally altered life for young Palestinians. As the assault entered its fourth year, an entire generation of children in Gaza has carried on with their lives without a single day of peacetime memory, Middle East Eye reported. In addition to being deprived of basic rights, many children have witnessed relatives and friends being killed while fighting for survival.
Amid the destruction, local coaches and volunteers have sought to carve out safe spaces for youth. In the Al-Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, coach Mahmoud Al-Kronz resumed Taekwondo training on practice mats placed among broken concrete and rubble, Middle East Eye reported. Working with limited resources, Al-Kronz aimed to keep athletics going and provide his students with a break from the weight of war.
Before October 2023, the team had been preparing to compete at the Fujairah championship in the United Arab Emirates. That initiative came to an abrupt halt due to recurrent forced displacement and severe food shortages across the enclave.
Initiatives return to the coast
Similar efforts have reappeared on Gaza's shoreline. Near Al-Shati refugee camp, children rejoined Gaza Nippers, a Palestinian branch of the Australian junior surf lifesaving program, The Guardian reported. Hassan Al-Habeel, a local organizer in his 40s, led young trainees wearing yellow and black rash vests through concrete alleyways lined with rubbish, rubble, and bullet holes to reach the sea.
According to The Guardian, only 15 of the program's original 45 young lifesavers have been found since the conflict disrupted its activities three years ago.
International demonstrations
Public actions marked the third anniversary of the conflict abroad. In London, thousands gathered on the Embankment and marched towards parliament to demonstrate support for Palestinians, The Guardian reported. Demonstrators held Palestinian flags and placards reading "End the genocide" and "Free Palestine", and observed a two-minute silence for the lives lost in Gaza. The demonstration was the first since Ed Miliband declared that the UK's position was that Israel's occupation of the West Bank was unlawful.
