Eman Basher

My family and I were reunited two days before ceasefire! Father, younger brother and middle sister were still in the north. Mom, two sisters were in uncle’s house along with 43 person. My 3 kids and I were in a school in Khanyounis called Haifa. My older brother was in a school in Bani Suhaila. Upon the urgent request of dad, we were able to find a house for rent at the suburbs of Rafah in a place called ‘Mirage’ near the Israeli settlements. I know what you are going to sat, but this was the only place we were able to find away from the humiliation and torture of schools. After we were reunited, the house had no mattresses, blankets, gas or food. I saw my kids starving in front of my eyes. It was raining on the first day we arrived. We slept on the floor close to each other to try to keep ourselves warm. In the morning, we learnt that we need to walk 12 km daily to arrive to a small supermarket that sells canned food only. Few people who stayed, advised us not to make sounds, light fires, or dig holes from sunset to sunrise. I will never forget those days and I will write them in details for the whole world to know. I know I make jokes a lot. I know I make you laugh sometimes but a great teacher once told me the sarcasm can be a way to survive. I know I’m a fighter. But there were days I was broken beyond repair. Money had no value at all. I wanted to kill my children to stop them from starving. This was one of the nights that I mark it as small achievements. You can hear the kids snoring and in the background one of the most unsettling sounds kids should never hear at all.