The once-thriving neighborhood of Zeitoun in Gaza City has been left unrecognizable after a sustained Israeli assault, with over 1,000 buildings completely destroyed in the Zeitoun and Sabra neighborhoods this month.
The Palestinian Civil Defence reported that hundreds remain trapped under the rubble, while Israeli tanks continue to roll into the Sabra neighborhood as part of Israel’s plan to fully occupy Gaza City. This has forced nearly 1 million Palestinians to flee southwards to concentration zones.
Feryal Ahmed, a resident of Zeitoun, recounted the terrifying experience of the Israeli attack, saying, “we were sleeping, and at midnight, the roof collapsed on our heads, and the pieces were all over us. We woke up terrified. I put on my prayer gown and started to call my children. I called their names Ibrahim, Mahdi, Mohamed, Sanad. But I couldn’t see them because of all the rubble and the dust.”
The destruction is not limited to homes; most of the infrastructure, residential areas, schools, mosques, waterways, and pipelines have been severely damaged, making life almost impossible.
Mahdi Awad, another resident, expressed his deep sadness over the destruction of the neighborhood, saying, “I will never forget Zeitoun as long as I’m still breathing. It is a tragedy. I am hurt by what the Israelis are doing to the neighbourhood … Everything in Zeitoun was beautiful – the birds, the water, the greenery, the farmlands, the olive trees.”
Neighbors who once gathered for meals in each other’s homes now sleep in the open, grieving and uncertain of tomorrow.
The destruction of Zeitoun is not just about buildings; it’s about the displacement of families, the silencing of neighborhoods, and the loss of history.
Asem al-Nabih, a Gaza municipality spokesperson, highlighted the extent of the destruction, stating, “The destruction is far greater than just the buildings in this neighbourhood.
Most of the infrastructure and residential areas, schools, mosques, waterways and even pipelines and water networks have been severely damaged, which makes life and living here almost impossible.”
For many young Palestinians, Zeitoun is more than just a place on the map; it’s the only home they’ve ever known.
Mahdi Khaled, a young Palestinian resident, expressed his longing to return home, saying, “I learned there, I grew up there. I’m one of the children of the neighbourhood. I wish I could wake up and be told to go back. Even if my house has been bombed – and I’m sure it has – or if everything is gone, I still want to go back.” Despite the devastation, this longing is stronger than the fear of bombardment.
The Israeli assault on Gaza City has been condemned by the international community, with the UN Security Council holding an emergency meeting to denounce the move.
The UK, EU, Australia, Canada, and Japan have also issued a joint statement urging action to reverse starvation in Gaza, where famine is unfolding. The World Health Organization has appealed to Israel to allow the stockpiling of medical supplies to deal with the catastrophic health situation in Gaza.
As the situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, the story of Zeitoun lives on in its people. For them, home is not just walls and a roof; it’s memory, belonging, and the determination to return.