We followed five people in Gaza from dawn to dusk - this is what the headlines don’t tell us

Key Points:

• Life in Gaza is marked by severe resource scarcity, exemplified by Alaa Hessi’s ritual of making tea, which requires careful rationing of limited gas, firewood alternatives, and water sourced through unpredictable deliveries or long walks.
• The blockade imposed by Israel tightly controls all goods entering Gaza, restricting essentials such as food, fuel, medical supplies, and even everyday items like toys and musical instruments, under the pretext of preventing materials that could aid Hamas.
• The impact of these restrictions extends beyond survival, affecting education, recreation, and cultural life; for example, Gaza Skate Team struggles to replace broken skateboards due to import bans, illustrating the blockade’s broader effects on community and youth activities.
• Despite harsh conditions, individuals in Gaza strive to maintain normalcy and humanity: educators adapt by using solar-powered laptops and WhatsApp for teaching, families create safe spaces amid rubble, and children hold onto dreams amid adversity.
• This intimate glimpse into daily life in Gaza reveals the ongoing hardships behind headlines of conflict, highlighting the resilience and small acts of endurance that define the lived experience of ordinary Palestinians under blockade.