Returning to the Ruins: A Gazan Homecoming

Loaded with all that remains of their possessions, including mattresses, clothing, and essential items like cooking utensils, gas cylinders, and even a child's tricycle, Mohammad Abu Warda and his family prepare for a daunting return to what used to be their home.

At 34, Abu Warda works fervently to secure the load on their trailer, which is hitched to his tractor. He exchanges a glance with his mother, Bouthaina, who's absorbed in braiding his daughter’s hair before turning his gaze to the coastal highway leading back to Gaza City. He knows it's time to head back.

“When we last traveled this road, it was to escape death,” he reflects, tightening the ropes with all his might. “But today, we are heading back to reclaim what's left of our lives.”

Around him, numerous others are embarking on similar journeys, clutching onto the remnants of their belongings, piling them onto any available transport, from donkey carts to tractors. The road becomes crowded with the diverse transport options mixed with the aroma of diesel and the lingering scent of the sea.

Progressing slowly along the Al-Rashid Highway, hundreds of people join from side streets, each step taking them closer to what remains of their former lives in northern Gaza.

The Emotional Toll of a War-Torn Path

Abu Warda’s displacement begun early in the conflict, forcing him to leave in November 2023, only to return briefly before being compelled to flee again due to the intensification of violence in Gaza City and the north.

"Everything we built is obliterated," he laments, anticipating a painful return to Jabalia, a journey made by family members a day prior.

With a heavy heart, Bouthaina voices the grim reality, "Going back isn’t about returning home. It’s about confronting what’s gone—mere rubble."

For the 2.1 million residents in the Gaza Strip, which is densely populated across a limited area, this is a shared experience. Nearly everyone has been displaced in the past two years, with most homes bearing significant damage.

Ongoing shortages, including a dire famine, result from sustained blockades. Humanitarian organizations have raised allegations of genocide, which Israel refutes, stating military actions were aimed against Hamas.

Destruction and Hope Amidst Despair

By the time they reach Jabalia, six hours have passed, leaving the family to confront a desolate scene, now marked only by scattered debris. "That used to be my window," Abu Warda points out, gesturing towards a void in the ruins.

In these ruins, they rediscover remnants of their past life—a school notebook bearing his son’s name, bringing poignant memories flooding back.

Amal, Abu Warda’s sister, voices a solemn acceptance as she holds dust from the wreckage: "We returned to touch reality, however devastating."

Evening falls as they establish a temporary shelter amidst ruins, successfully scavenging ropes and materials for a makeshift tarp. Faint signs of normalcy emerge—a kettle is found, a fire kindled, and tea is sipped under the open sky.

Neighbors converge from the wreckage, and greetings are exchanged; yet, the atmosphere remains both fragile and hopeful. Information about surviving wells and international aid spreads quickly among them.

The children play among the debris, with young Bisan drawing in the sand, envisioning a home with her family’s smiles—hopeful that they can rebuild what is lost.

"Life still pulses here through us," says Amal, believing firmly that as long as they return, so will life, eventually.

A Night Under the Stars and Uncertainty Ahead

As night falls, the cool breeze brings a touch of comfort. Abu Warda and his family lay out blankets, preparing for another uncertain day. "What lies ahead is unknown," he admits as he gazes skyward. "But being here, even if it’s amid ruin, surpasses waiting for uncertain news from afar."