Amid the Devastation: 11 Heartfelt Narratives from Gaza Captivating Global Attention

In the aftermath of destruction across Gaza’s neighborhoods, the once-prominent names of doctors, poets, journalists, students, parents, and infants have transitioned from merely appearing on screens to being inscribed into the fabric of the city’s enduring ruins.

Two years following Israel’s intensive military campaign in the coastal territory, which many have criticized as heavily impacting Palestinian civilians, the ongoing effects remain evident in both those who lost their lives and those who continue to endure hardship and devastation. The resilience of the Palestinian people, facing these challenging circumstances, continues to unfold.

In the past two years, the Gaza Strip has experienced unprecedented levels of devastation. The Government Media Office reports that Israel has deployed over 200,000 tons of explosives on the region within the span of 730 days, an amount equivalent to approximately 13 times the explosive force of the Hiroshima atomic bomb.

A devastating wave of destruction has swept through hospitals, schools, homes, farmlands, mosques, and cemeteries, leaving communities grappling with profound loss and trauma.

The impact on human lives has been monumental. Since October 7, 2023, upwards of 76,000 Palestinians have either lost their lives or remain unaccounted for, among them over 20,000 children and 12,500 women.

Entire families have been decimated, with at least 2,700 families removed from civil registries as all their members have tragically lost their lives.

The healthcare infrastructure in Gaza has been severely impacted, with 38 hospitals and 96 health centers reportedly bombed. Additionally, 197 ambulances have been destroyed, and over 1,600 medical personnel have lost their lives. Furthermore, 362 individuals from the medical community have been detained.

The education system has endured significant devastation, with reports indicating that 95 percent of schools have been damaged, 668 have been bombed, and 165 have been completely destroyed. This tragic situation has resulted in the loss of at least 13,500 students and 830 teachers.

The use of starvation as a method of warfare has led to a humanitarian crisis, with the obstruction of over 120,000 aid convoys, and the targeting of 47 food kitchens along with 61 distribution centers. Consequently, approximately 650,000 children are now facing life-threatening hunger.

In the midst of ongoing challenges, infrastructure has been significantly devastated. An estimated 268,000 homes have been demolished, resulting in the displacement of 2 million individuals. Additionally, 94 percent of farmland has suffered destruction, and the fishing industry has been decimated.

The humanitarian crisis exacerbates amid ongoing discussions of a ceasefire, as the regime persists with its bombing campaign, pushing millions to the brink of survival.

We highlight several Gazans who have captured international attention over the past two years. Though many tragically lost their lives in violent circumstances, their bravery, resilience, and powerful voices have stirred global awareness and empathy.

**Hind Rajab: The Young Prodigy Captivating Global Attention**

A protracted three-hour conversation ensued as Hind, confined in her family’s vehicle amidst Israeli gunfire, communicated with the team from the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS).

Her family remained still beside her as she softly pleaded with the PRCS dispatcher, “Please come and get me.” She added with a note of fear, “It’s getting dark and I’m afraid of the dark.”

The voice of Hind, captured and shared globally, has emerged as a poignant testament to the alleged acts of genocide in Gaza attributed to Israeli forces. Tragically, the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) rescue team dispatched to aid her was reportedly targeted and eliminated prior to their arrival.

Her narrative would subsequently be captured in *The Voice of Hind Rajab*, a docudrama that clinched the Silver Lion award and garnered an unprecedented 23-minute standing ovation at its premiere.

In May 2024, pro-Palestine student demonstrators at Columbia University rechristened Hamilton Hall as “Hind’s Hall,” aligning it with the worldwide protest movement against genocide.

The Hind Rajab Foundation, a human rights organization, focuses on documenting alleged Israeli war crimes in Gaza and aims to expose those believed to be responsible for such actions.

Refaat Al-Araeer: The Cherished Poet of Gaza

Gaza’s esteemed writer and world literature professor, Refaat Al-Araeer, lost his life on December 7, 2023, when a missile hit his sister’s residence in Al-Shujaiya.

An individual formerly served as a creative writing instructor at the Islamic University of Gaza, providing students with a sanctuary to express themselves through writing while enduring the harsh Israeli siege.

In the days leading up to his death, he shared a poignant poem titled If I Must Die, which concluded with the words: “Let it be a tale.” This poem quickly resonated as Gaza’s anthem of resilience, echoing at demonstrations worldwide.

Just two days prior to his passing, Al Araeer penned a tribute honoring the Palestinian resistance.

The situation has intensified with reports of severe Israeli bombardments in the region. Residents express dire fears for their safety, stating the possibility of not surviving the night. A local expressed a sentiment of resistance, wishing to actively combat what they described as the invading forces impacting their communities.

In a poignant declaration during one of his final public interviews, the esteemed Palestinian poet expressed a resolute commitment to his craft, stating that, if circumstances demanded, he would embrace death by the very pen that had defined his life.

A self-described academic, speaking on the potential for conflict, expressed a personal commitment to resist, humorously noting that the most formidable item at their disposal is an Expo marker. They declared an intention to stand their ground against potential aggression, even if it means using the marker as a last act of defiance.

Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, a medical professional, has been detained by Israeli authorities.

By late 2024, Kamal Adwan Hospital remained among the few operational healthcare facilities in northern Gaza. Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, the hospital’s director and a pediatrician by profession, declined all evacuation offers since October 7, 2023.

On October 25, Israeli forces conducted a raid on the hospital, resulting in the death of his son and the detention of all remaining staff members.

Weeks after the incident, Abu Safiya was detained and has been held without trial ever since. A photograph of the Palestinian doctor in white robes navigating the wreckage outside his hospital rapidly gained viral attention.

A global campaign advocating for his release has gained momentum, as numerous human rights activists and medical associations in Gaza and around the world call for his freedom.

His legal representative, Ghaid Qasem, has reported that he is experiencing multiple health issues, including fractured ribs, heart pain, and severe skin infections, all of which have gone untreated. “He is being left to contend with illness and starvation,” she affirmed.

For several months, Abu Safiya remained dedicated to ensuring the hospital’s operations continued. His subsequent arrest and alleged torture highlight what many see as Israel’s broader conflict impacting basic humanitarian efforts.

**Wael Dahdouh: The Conscience of Journalism in Gaza**

In a tragic incident, an Israeli airstrike on the Nuseirat refugee camp resulted in the death of Wael Dahdouh’s wife, daughter, son, and grandson. The journalist received the devastating news of his family’s loss while broadcasting live.

The following day, he returned to his duties, chronicling the genocide against Palestinians.

For more than a year, Dahdouh persisted in his reporting amidst relentless bombing, undeterred by shrapnel injuries and significant personal loss. His resilience positioned him as the moral core of wartime journalism and as a living chronicle of Gaza.

In 2025, the National Press Club bestowed its most prestigious accolade for press freedom on him, lauding him as “the embodiment of journalism under duress.”

Dahdouh is regarded as an embodiment of Gaza’s sorrow and a representation of the resilience and spirit of its inhabitants.

**Anas Al-Sharif: Amplifying Gaza’s Perspective from the Frontlines**

On August 11, 2025, Israeli forces carried out an attack on a media tent positioned outside Al-Shifa Hospital, resulting in the deaths of journalist Anas Al-Sharif, 28, along with four of his colleagues.

The area designated for the media, marked by a tent, was easily recognizable due to the presence of journalists carrying identifiable equipment and wearing vests at the time of the bombing.

A nighttime strike resulted in the death of a young journalist and his colleagues, with Israeli forces later acknowledging the incident. They have been accused of falsely labeling him as a “Hamas operative.”

Al-Sharif has diligently covered the situation in northern Gaza from the onset of the conflict, chronicling widespread displacement and hunger.

In his final broadcast, recorded mere hours before the lethal Israeli offensive, the footage depicted the hospital courtyard crowded with injured civilians.

Dr. Sufyan Tayeh, a renowned scientist from Gaza, has made significant contributions to his field.

In December 2023, an airstrike carried out by Israel on Jabalia, located in northern Gaza, resulted in the death of Dr. Sufyan Tayeh, a prominent physicist recognized globally, who also held the position of president at the Islamic University of Gaza.

Tayeh, recognized as one of the leading two percent of researchers worldwide, served as the UNESCO Chair for Physics and Space Sciences in Palestine. His accolades include receiving the prestigious Abdul Hameed Shoman Award for Young Arab Scientists.

The passing of the esteemed figure, together with his family, was deeply mourned throughout the academic sphere, representing an irreplaceable loss to the Palestinian scientific community.

The Israeli offensive that took his life epitomized the regime’s intent to obliterate Palestinian intellectualism.

**Feature: Dr. Marwan Al-Sultan – The Cardiologist Serving Gaza**

In July 2025, an Israeli missile directly hit the room where Dr. Marwan Al-Sultan, a senior cardiologist and the director of the Indonesian Hospital, was operating.

Lobna later recounted that a missile targeted her father’s room directly, with remarkable precision. She emphasized that while the other rooms remained unscathed, the missile struck her father’s room with specific accuracy.

“Al-Sultan remained committed to his duties until the very end, sacrificing his life for his dedication,” his son Ahmed conveyed regarding his father.

According to the Palestinian medical organization Healthcare Worker Watch (HWW), he was among the last two remaining heart specialists in the territory.

Human rights organizations have characterized his death as part of a systematic campaign targeting the medical infrastructure in Gaza and those striving to maintain its viability.

**Reem and Tareq: The Heartbeat of the Spirit**

In November 2023, Israeli airstrikes tragically claimed the lives of three-year-old Reem and five-year-old Tareq when their home in Al-Nuseirat was destroyed.

Khaled Nabhan has emerged as a poignant symbol of the sorrow gripping Gaza. A widely circulated video captures a moment of profound loss as Nabhan tenderly kisses the body of his granddaughter, Reem, while clutching her earring close to his heart. “She was my ruh-el-ruh,” he expressed, describing her as the very essence of his soul.

The poignant image has become part of an expanding collection of heartbreaking civilian accounts, with family photographs now serving as crucial evidence.

Nabhan, affectionately known as Gaza’s “beloved grandfather,” lost his life in an Israeli airstrike in December 2024.

**Suleiman Al-Obeid: The Palestinian Pele**

In August 2025, an Israeli military operation targeted a food distribution center in southern Gaza, resulting in the death of Suleiman Al-Obeid, a former national football player and captain of the Khadamat al-Shati Club.

A man was awaiting the distribution of humanitarian assistance for his family when the bombing incident occurred.

He acquired the moniker “the Pele of Palestinian football,” in homage to the legendary Brazilian figure celebrated as one of the sport’s all-time greats.

At the international stage, al-Obeid represented Al-Fida’i in 24 matches, netting two goals. His most remarkable feat was a scissor kick against the Yemeni national team during the 2010 West Asian Football Federation Championship.

In August, the Palestinian Football Association reported that 421 football players were included among the 808 athletes who have been killed in Gaza by Israeli forces. Nearly half of those athletes were children.

**Awni Eldous: Prodigious Gamer from Gaza**

In 2023, 13-year-old Awni Eldous expressed his gratitude to his audience as he reached the milestone of 1,000 subscribers on his gaming channel. With an ambitious goal, Eldous aspires to expand his subscriber base to 100,000.

An Israeli airstrike resulted in the death of him and his family weeks later. Following his passing, his channel has now amassed over 1.3 million subscribers.

His family affectionately referred to him as “Engineer Awni” due to his deep interest in computers.

The ten videos serve as a poignant chronicle of Gaza’s lost generation, capturing the dreams of children whose futures have been irrevocably altered by conflict.

Dr. Ghassan Abu-Sittah: Eyewitness to Atrocities

Dr. Ghassan Abu-Sittah, a British-Palestinian plastic surgeon, reached Gaza on October 9, 2023, following the launch of a significant military offensive by Israel on the territory two days prior.

From the surgical theaters of Al-Shifa and Al-Ahli hospitals, he has emerged as a direct witness to the devastating impact of the conflict in Gaza, conducting numerous operations each day, with many patients being children.

By the fourth day, he noted that half of his patients were minors.

He reported that by the fourth or fifth day of Israel’s military operation, children constituted approximately half of his daily surgical roster, which typically included ten to twelve cases.

The individual meticulously recorded injuries that aligned with the effects of white phosphorus and other prohibited munitions, compiling evidence that would contribute to future international investigations.

The plastic surgeon expressed a firm belief that the ultimate objective is to ethnically cleanse Gaza.

His firsthand testimonies are now pivotal in ongoing investigations into the alleged genocide in Israel, positioning him as one of the rare surviving chroniclers of one of the most documented genocides of the century.

Two Years Later: Reflection on Gaza’s Testimony and the Global Reaction

Two years later, Gaza’s timeline stands still. Across the globe, the names Hind, Refaat, Hussam, Wael, Reem, Suleiman, Awni, and thousands more who never had the chance to be named, continue to resonate.

Several individuals were interred alongside notebooks, cameras, and stethoscopes, while others emerged, bearing witness to the vestiges of a land besieged by relentless violence. Collectively, they constitute a living archive of genocide, observed by the world in real-time.

The International Court of Justice has recognized the potential validity of genocide claims and issued a directive for Israel to cease activities contributing to widespread starvation, signaling a significant challenge to longstanding impunity.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is maintaining its pursuit of arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Meanwhile, universities, unions, and cities across the globe are observing the second anniversary with a range of activities, including boycotts, protests, and cultural demonstrations.

Protestors worldwide are holding banners with the names of those who have lost their lives in Gaza, creating a global roll call of conscience that spans across continents.

Israel’s blockade continues to grip the Gaza Strip, with aid convoys facing persistent obstacles. However, Gaza has garnered international recognition for the resilience and humanity of its people.

Two years have passed since the onset of the genocide, yet the documentation persists. Across archives, news articles, films, reports, and courtrooms, the faces of Gaza remain ever-present.