Article: Testimonies from Gazans living in France, sharing their concern for their families in Gaza
The situation in the Gaza Strip since the start of the bombings has plunged Sarah, Saïd and Yasser, originally from Gaza and living in France, into deep anguish. Their family is still there and they live every day waiting for news. Unfortunately, in France, they feel powerless, deprived of the right to demonstrate to demand an immediate ceasefire and an end to hostilities between the two camps. Despite this, they agreed to share their testimonies with France 24.
From the start of Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip, the lives of their loved ones became even more complicated. Gazans in France were already concerned about the blockade imposed since 2007 and previous large-scale military operations in the enclave. But the Hamas attack, which left more than 1,400 dead in Israel, marked a turning point. Since then, Israel’s Operation Iron Sword has caused the deaths of at least 3,478 Palestinians, according to figures from the Hamas Health Ministry.
Sarah’s family is in Gaza, in the Asqula neighborhood, and some managed to flee to Rafah, while others remained in the family building. The situation is very precarious, with a lack of water and constant insecurity due to bombings. Sarah desperately searches for news of her family every day, consulting the lists of victims published by Arab media. Unfortunately, she discovered that her father had lost his uncle in a bombing. This tragedy left Sarah in deep grief.
Said and Yasser are also worried about their family back in Gaza. The bombings in neighboring neighborhoods have terrible repercussions on their daily lives. They often have to help remove bodies from the rubble and have lost neighbors they had known since childhood to their deaths while trying to help others. Fear and insecurity are everywhere.
In France, the situation is frustrating for Sarah, Saïd and Yasser. They feel powerless in the face of the drama unfolding in Gaza and regret not having the right to demonstrate. Pro-Palestinian demonstrations were banned by the French government on the grounds that they risked causing disturbances to public order. However, despite this ban, thousands of people came together to defend the Palestinians’ right to a dignified life.
These testimonies reveal the anguish and pain felt by Gazans living in France, who are separated from their families during this period of intense violence. They are desperate for news of their loved ones and fear facing new tragedies every day. Their deepest wish is an immediate ceasefire and a definitive end to hostilities. In the meantime, they will continue to closely monitor developments and hope that peace will eventually prevail.