Palestinians in Gaza City have described dire living conditions and expressed hopes of returning to their homes, three years after Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack triggered a major Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip.
Residents spoke about the destruction and displacement they have experienced, with some describing the territory as increasingly difficult to live in after years of conflict.
“After three years of siege, killing and destruction, Israel has turned the Gaza Strip into an uninhabitable place,” Gaza City resident Mahmoud Abu Hasira said.
For many Palestinians, the conflict has meant prolonged displacement and the loss of homes and communities. Large parts of Gaza have been severely affected by the fighting, leaving residents facing difficult conditions and uncertainty about their future.
Bassam Nasser, a father of eight who was displaced from Beit Hanun, said Palestinians want a lasting resolution that would allow them to return to the places from which they were displaced.
“We demand a definitive resolution to this issue, that we be allowed to return to our homes, villages, and cities from which we were displaced, that life be restored to the way it was before,” Nasser said.
The October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas and other militants in southern Israel killed about 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies, and around 250 people were taken hostage. Israel responded with a large-scale military campaign in Gaza.
The conflict has since caused extensive destruction and displacement in the territory, while efforts to secure a lasting political resolution and address the humanitarian situation have continued.
Three years on, residents in Gaza City say their immediate hopes remain focused on security, rebuilding and the possibility of returning home as the wider conflict and its consequences continue to shape daily life.
