My name is Baraa Al-Shorfa, I am 15 years old. We are a family of 6, my mother, father and 4 children, my youngest brother is 8 years old, since October 7, 2023, we have been suffering from a brutal war that has destroyed our dreams and hopes, and has gone beyond the limits of human comprehension. During this brutal war, we have endured hardships that mountains cannot bear. We suffer from severe water shortages, and we often walk about a kilometer to get one gallon of water, which is equivalent to about 16 liters, barely enough for five family members. We also suffer from severe food and nutrition shortages due to the blockade imposed on northern Gaza for 10 months, which prevents the entry of basic materials such as meat, vegetables and fruits. This situation has forced us to eat animal feed such as barley, which has caused us to lose weight, suffer from multiple diseases, and greatly weaken our immune systems. As a result of the war, our home and agricultural land that provided us with our daily sustenance were completely destroyed and bulldozed. We also suffered from repeated displacement, moving from one place to another and from one area to another due to the horrific and brutal bombing. We also suffer from fear and terror due to the heavy bombing, fire belts and explosives, the sound of tanks was very terrifying. In addition, we were deprived of education and the opportunity to build a future. My younger brothers suffer from skin diseases, but the hospitals, which are the lifeline for every patient and needy, were also destroyed. We face a shortage of medicines and vaccines while diseases are increasing and spreading among us, with no solution in sight as there are no hospitals or medical supplies available here in Gaza. We live in constant fear for my younger brothers because they have not received their general vaccinations, especially after the spread of polio due to the lack of cleaning supplies and the massive accumulation of waste in the streets. I also should have been vaccinated against Tetanus and Typhoid fever, but I did not receive them due to the lack of vaccinations, and sewage water flooded the streets, posing a serious threat to our children. We suffered from jaundice, where we struggled for about two weeks with fatigue, dizziness and other symptoms. It is a deadly disease, my brothers' little bodies became full of red pimples and as I mentioned before there is no treatment available due to the destruction of hospitals and health centers.
We also suffer from the absence of cooking gas, which forces us to use wood and plastic to light fires, which can lead to poisoning. We have been without electricity since October 7th, spending days in the dark, causing immense fear for my little brothers. This has also made it very difficult to charge our phones and night light batteries. We had to travel kilometers from our home to find places with electricity, which costs us a lot to charge our phones and batteries.
