Manal, a Palestinian mother, continues to fight for her family’s survival, clinging to the hope that someday they will be able to return to the life they once knew 

Manal Suleiman Abu Awad, a 36-year-old mother of three, has become the sole pillar of support for her family after their life was turned upside down by the ongoing war on the Gaza Strip. With her husband unable to assist due to his physical disability, Manal now bears the full weight of their family’s survival. Her family, originally from Rafah, was displaced on 6 May 2024, when the Israeli military launched its ground invasion in the area. Amid the terrifying bombardment, they had no choice but to flee their home, leaving behind all their belongings.

"When the bombs started falling on Rafah, we had to leave. We thought we would be safe, but when we reached Deir al-Balah, we found nothing. There was no place to stay, no shelter waiting for us," Manal recalls. A kind family offered them temporary refuge, letting them sleep in their tent west of Deir al-Balah. But the next day, they had to fend for themselves. With the help of a few generous people, Manal and her family began to assemble a tent from torn blankets and tattered plastic covers.

"It wasn’t much. The tent barely protected us from the cold, and the wind would tear it down again and again. Every time it collapsed, we’d rebuild it, only to watch it fall apart once more," Manal says.

Now, her family lives in a small, cramped tent that offers little protection. "We only have three mattresses and four blankets to share between us. The tent is full of holes and openings, and there’s nothing to cook with, no proper lighting, no water," she continues. With her husband unable to help due to his health condition, Manal has taken on every responsibility—from gathering firewood and cardboard to starting fires for cooking to walking long distances to fetch water.

"I walk over 700 meters every day to get water for drinking and washing. Sometimes, I have to rest on the way because the water jugs are too heavy. Sometimes, I even go to the sea to collect water," she says, describing the physical toll of her daily struggle.

Food is another constant challenge. "I can’t always get bread. Sometimes, I use old flour that I struggle to get from people. It’s not enough, but it’s all I can do to feed my family, and I have to ration it carefully," she says. "I just want to go back home. I want to be safe. I want to stop living like this. But right now, all I can do is survive, one day at a time."