There was no water supply so we bought two plastic 20-litre jerry cans, which we filled every day – one for drinking and cooking and one for cleaning, but the water was dirty.
Or the smell of my wife’s cooking floating through the flat, including our favourite dishes like fatteh dajaj (a mix of chicken, crumbled toasted pita bread, yoghurt and bits of leftovers) and maqloobeh (layers of spiced rice, meat and vegetables, cooked together and then turned upside down to serve).
I fled home 477 days ago and came back to find rubble A sea of beleaguered men, women, children, and elderly walked along a dusty path, with heavy bags slung over their shoulders.
After deciding to go to our flat with two of my sons and my colleagues, our plan was to check on the home and if it was in good condition, we’d return with the whole family.
So with a heavy heart, we moved our whole family and all the belongings we could carry to my cousin’s house in Deir al Balah in central Gaza.
