In brief
In this heartfelt account, Ayish Younis, who fled his childhood home during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, recounts his experiences of living as a refugee in Gaza and the recent devastation caused by ongoing conflicts. Despite rebuilding his life over the decades, he finds himself once again in a tent, grappling with the uncertainty of the future and the profound loss of his homeland.
I rode away on a camel with my grandmother, along a sandy road, and I started to cry. Ayish Younis is describing the worst moment of his life – he still regards it as such, even though it was 77 years ago, and he's lived through many horrors since.
It was 1948, the first Arab-Israeli war was raging, and Ayish was 12. He and his whole extended family were fleeing their homes in the village of Barbara - famed for its grapes, wheat, corn and barley - in what had been British-ruled Palestine.
Now, aged 89, Ayish is once again living in a tent in Al-Mawasi near Khan Younis, forced to evacuate after Israeli military operations destroyed his home. We returned to what we started with, we returned back to tents, he reflects. This displacement is harrowing, particularly as he recalls earlier struggles to establish a home for his family.
Ayish outlines the constant cycle of hope and despair throughout his life, explaining, After we left Barbara and lived in a tent, we eventually succeeded in building a house. But now, the situation is more than a catastrophe. I don't know what the future holds, and whether we will ever be able to rebuild our house again.
Amidst the destruction and instability of Gaza today, Ayish does not hold out hope for a stable future for himself or his family, stating solemnly, I don't believe Gaza has any future. His words capture the pain and uncertainty that define life in this conflict-ridden region.
Despite the dire circumstances, Ayish remains devoted to his family, hoping they might rebuild their lives despite the adversity. He longs for the fruit of his childhood village Barbara, a symbol of his roots and lost heritage.
