Resilience amid conflict: how Gazans adapt to life under aggression

Shafaq News/ The month-long war waged by Israel on the Gaza Strip has forced its residents to seek alternative means to cope with the challenges of daily life and overcome the harsh circumstances imposed by the current situation.

Gazans have to revert to decades-old methods, using clay ovens to bake bread due to fuel and electricity shortages following the Israeli blockade on the strip since the start of the conflict on October 7.

Palestinian activist Ayat Khudari shared a video on her Instagram showing Gazans preparing the dough to be sent to a neighbor's house to be baked in clay ovens.

Photographers and journalists in Gaza have also captured another facet of the hardships faced by the besieged population. With the fuel shortages and restrictions on fuel imports, unconventional means were made available to transport the injured and the deceased civilians.

One image showed a body in western Khan Younis being transported on a cart pulled by a donkey, while another showed a large truck used to transport goods now tasked with carrying injured persons due to the incapacity of ambulances and hearse vehicles. Animal-drawn carts are common for daily commutes under relentless Israeli bombardment.

In the absence of electricity and fuel for hospitals, doctors were forced to perform surgeries under the light of mobile phones. Footage widely shared on social media showed innovative ways Gazan healthcare professionals had to deploy under these dire circumstances.

Following Israeli attacks on water facilities, Gaza residents have been forced to use seawater to meet their needs for drinking and washing. They use unusual methods to purify water for daily use, given the lack of available filters. Some Palestinians had to wait for a long queue near hospitals or schools to bring water to their homes and camps.

Gazans endure lengthy hours without electricity on a daily basis. To charge their phones, residents gather in commercial establishments equipped with solar panels. In Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, locals rely on a few solar panels to charge oxygen devices for patients who need continuous oxygen supplementation due to chronic respiratory diseases.

Another video showcases children in Gaza celebrating the birthday of a girl named "Sara." The group sang "Happy birthday" as they gathered around cups of tea with milk assorted to imitate a cake with candles.

Israel's brutal assault on the Gaza Strip, which began on October 7th following the Hamas Operation Aqsa Flood, has resulted in nearly 10,000 casualties and tens of thousands of injuries and sparked international denouncement for Israel's atrocities.