A boy stands in the stairwell of a building heavily damaged by Israeli strikes in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, Jan. 21, 2025, as residents return following Sunday's cease-fire agreement in the enclave. (Credit: Eyad Baba/AFP)
For nearly a year, Yara's daily life has been on hold. "My life has been stolen," sighed the young woman who lost her job and is "stuck in Egypt." "I do nothing but care for my two children, even though we have to meet our needs." Her recent months resembled those of many Gazans forced into exile, marked by uprooting, heartbreaking goodbyes and the feeling of having lost a piece of their soul after 120 days of war. "I try to keep busy, I do Palestinian embroidery to give myself a sense of belonging. But I feel like an empty soul. I would trade my life for one more morning in my bed at home." Read more Security challenges mount in Gaza since cease-fire began The hope of a return to northern Gaza, where the young woman from the south of the enclave had been living for five years after...
For nearly a year, Yara's daily life has been on hold. "My life has been stolen," sighed the young woman who lost her job and is "stuck in Egypt." "I do nothing but care for my two children, even though we have to meet our needs." Her recent months resembled those of many Gazans forced into exile, marked by uprooting, heartbreaking goodbyes and the feeling of having lost a piece of their soul after 120 days of war. "I try to keep busy, I do Palestinian embroidery to give myself a sense of belonging. But I feel like an empty soul. I would trade my life for one more morning in my bed at home." Read more Security challenges mount in Gaza since cease-fire began The hope of a return to northern Gaza, where the young woman from the south of the enclave had been living for five years after...