Ghada al-Nazli (51), resident of Tal al-Hawa in Gaza City, and lawyer at the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR), gave her testimony to PCHR on 12 March 2024.

After Israel had launched its war on Gaza and particularly on 13 October 2023, the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) ordered the residents of northern Gaza Strip to evacuate to the south. On 15 October 2023, I evacuated from my house in Tal al-Hawa to my brothers’ apartment in al-Moghraqah area, south of Gaza City. IOF indiscriminately and violently bombed nearby lands, and fearing for my life, I decided to go back home. 

On 22 October 2023, our neighbors informed us that our residential block near the Force 17 Roundabout and Carefor Mall would be bombed, so I left my house to seek refuge in the nearby Orthodox Cultural Center thinking that it would be safe. We stayed there for a week, waiting for the area to be bombed when suddenly IOF called the Orthodox Cultural Center’s administration ordering them to evacuate because it would be bombed too. At that time, we decided to go back home, and on the night of 29 October 2023, the center was bombed.

On 01 November 2023, IOF pounded our area with massive airstrikes known as “fire belts” that started from 20:00 and continued to 22:00. During that time, we were on the stairs, which we thought was the safest place. Windows blown out and glass scattered on us. Due to the heavy bombardment, we thought we would never see daylight again.

Early the next day, we went to Anas Ibn Malek School near Ansar area, which is close to our house.  Two days later, violent clashes erupted near the school, so we decided to flee to my brother’s work office in al-Jawazat area out of fear, but residents there told us that area was so dangerous. They escorted us to a residential building in a side street, where we stayed for a week.

At 07:00 on 10 November 2023, we were surprised with IOF’s tanks stationed in front of our building. At 10:00, we moved to Dr. Mazin Skaik’s house, which was right behind that building. An hour later, we saw people raising white flags and leaving the area, so we joined them. We were about 15 persons.

At that time, two tanks started moving towards us from two directions and heavily fired live ammunition and shells at us. I started running and crossing the street, where I saw a pregnant woman inside a car with her brain outside of her head, and next to her were her husband and children, all of them were killed. It seemed like that woman was on her way to give birth as she had a big belly, but sadly their car was targeted with a tank shell.

Due to the intense bombing, we decided to return home. While I was on my way, I felt like something hot like fire hit my eye, so I fell on the ground just about 5 meters away from the tank. At that moment, I thought I would die. Unfortunately, it was a shell that hit my 64-year-old brother-in-law, Nasser Fayez al- Efranji, killing him instantly, and we were not able to pull his body due to the intense bombing.

My sister approached to help me standing up. We ran fast until we miraculously reached our house, where we found our sister Tahani (59) wounded with shell shrapnel in her hand, while her daughter, Dalal Nasser al-Efranji, sustained shrapnel injuries in her head and hand. 

After that, we went downstairs to the basement while my sister was still bleeding and her daughter was vomiting blood. We tried to call the Red Cross to seek their help, but in vain, as we were in a very dangerous area. After a day or two, worms came out of my sister’s wound. We freaked out and thought she was going to die. We then contacted doctors in Turkey to tell us how we could treat her, and we were lucky to find an advanced medical kit, as we were staying in a doctor’s house. Thank God, my sister injury started to heal.

We had been trapped inside the house without food or water for 15 days, feeling that IOF would raid the house in any moment. We experienced the scariest days in our life under heavy bombardment, days I will never forget or be able to describe.

On 24 November 2023, the truce entered into forced, and we could not believe that we were still alive. We immediately headed to al-Mashhara area, where we stayed for 20 days with no cooking gas and scarce potable and unpotable water, which we could hardly bring.

On 19 December 2023, IOF pounded the surrounding area with a heavy fire belt. After that, an Israeli drone fired two missiles at ‘Emad Moqbel’s house, where we were staying. As a result, the room ceiling fell on us and shrapnel scattered. It was absolutely one the most horrific nights. In the morning, we left the area and we got separated. I went to my uncle’s house in al-Moghrabi neighborhood and stayed there for about 9 days.

We then moved to a friend’s house in al-Rimal neighborhood near the Civil Affairs building in Western Gaza City seeking safety. Few days later, particularly in the evening of 02 January 2024, we were surprised with IOF’s tanks invading western Gaza City without any warning and stationed in front of the house we were staying in under relentless bombardment.

We were all staying in one room not being able to move for 12 days. On 04 February 2024, on day 8 under siege, the Israeli bulldozers levelled the house fence and a warehouse below the house. we were scared to death expecting IOF to raid the house in any moment and kill all of us.

During those days, we couldn’t move. We felt that every time we moved, a shell fell on the house, so we decided to stay still. We had no food or water, and the situation got worse; many of us passed out. I felt dizzy and my blood pressure was very low. Thank God, on day 12 under siege, IOF withdrew from the area. I felt like they were not 12 days but rather 12 years!

Following IOF’s withdrawal, the neighbors rushed to help us, as they saw the house being targeted more than once, but thank God, none of us got injured.

I still feel like my heart will stop beating out of fear and not being able to find words to describe what I have gone through.