Eman Alhaj Ali
The Electronic Intifada / July 26, 2024
July is supposed to be a time for relaxation in Gaza.
Families should flock to the beach for a well-deserved break.
Gathering on the seashore with family and friends is a cherished tradition.
Children should be bursting with excitement the day before a trip to the beach.
They should pack swimming gear, buckets and spades and speakers on which they can hear their favorite tunes.
Parents should stock up on fruit and other snacks.
Families should rise early in the morning on the day of a trip – 6 am or even before then so that they can start the day with prayers.
As they approach the shore, families should see fishers unloading nets, each filled with a fresh and colorful catch.
The most delightful part of the day should be breakfast on the beach.
The breakfast could consist of creamy hummus and crispy falafel, thyme, olive oil, rice, green olives, warm pita bread and steaming hot tea.
Such food and drink are delicious regardless of where they are consumed. But there is something extra special about chewing or swallowing them, while gazing at the waves, breathing in fresh air and listening to birdsong.
Children should spend the morning building castles. They should be allowed to let their imaginations create their own little worlds.
Lunch should be a barbecue.
Sizzling meat should be served alongside salads, made from tomatoes, onions, green peppers and parsley. That flavorful medley should be enough to satisfy the heartiest of appetites.
Vendors should be offering corn on the cob and candy apples.
Isolation
The day should continue with animals – particularly camels and horses – visiting the beach.
Some people should be playing volleyball, others riding the surf.
As night falls, the sound of drums and national songs should fill the air. Adults and children alike should start singing and dancing.
People should be staying on the beach as late as midnight before heading home for a quick shower and a good night’s sleep.
In July 2024, the joy of summer has been replaced by fear and uncertainty.
People have lost their enthusiasm for weekend getaways. Instead, the constant threat of violence has caused immense dread.
The families who should be unwinding on the beach have been torn apart. Children have been orphaned, parents have lost sons and daughters.
Everybody who is still alive is struggling to make ends meet.
Too many children in Gaza have been displaced time and again. Laughter has been drowned out by the sounds of a genocidal war.
The sea can still provide a modicum of solace.
The beach is still a place where people can escape from the confines of their damaged homes or their makeshift tents.
Any respite is extremely short.
The sea does not symbolize freedom in 2024.
Now it serves as a reminder that Gaza is isolated.
Nobody is able to leave at the moment. We are trapped.
Eman Alhaj Ali is a writer and translator based in Gaza
