Gaza voices

All Palestinians in Gaza have been affected by Israel's response to the Hamas attacks of 7 October. Here seven Gazans explain how they deal with destruction and displacement in a conflict that has lasted nine months and claimed more than 39,000 lives

- Bethan McKernan, Ruth Michaelson, Menna Farouk, Nesrine Malik and Steve Rose

Suha Nasser, 27, a physiotherapist from Jabalia, was sheltering at home with her husband, baby and 31 relatives when their street was bombed.

What was your life like before 7 October?

I met Mohammed at university in 2018 and was immediately attracted to his self-confidence. On top of that, he was kind, loving, supportive and always joking around. We got married in 2019 and I couldn't have been happier, but what followed was our long struggle to start a family.

We travelled to Egypt in May 2022 for a holiday, but found that the cost of fertility treatment in Cairo was much lower. Two weeks after the embryo transfer we had to make the journey back across the border to Gaza, which took two full days, across often dangerous checkpoints. I was exhausted and feared for my unborn child. In April 2023, Ahmed arrived after four years of longing.

A month later, I returned to my job as a physiotherapist at al-Rantisi hospital. I tried to coordinate between being a new mother and work; my husband took care of Ahmed during my shifts and stayed up with him to let me sleep.

What happened when the war started?

I was immediately afraid for the safety of my family. This was compounded by the stress of being a new mother trying to shield my son from the impact of the bombings and the upheaval in our home, which was filled with noise and anxiety. Within four days of the war starting, our home had become a refuge for more than 60 people, mostly relatives of my husband. Some were displaced due to the Israeli army's threat to their neighbourhoods and some due to shelling.

Ahmed had trouble sleeping. Calming and reassuring him was a challenge made more difficult by the [lack of food and nutrition] needed for breastfeeding.

What happened next?