‘I’m afraid they’ll bomb the cafe where I work, or bomb me’: a day in the life of a 12-year-old boy in Gaza
This week, as the war in Gaza approaches its fourth year, the Guardian follows five ordinary Palestinians as they go about their lives. Each tells the story of their day, revealing the terrible toll of the conflict. Ramadan lives in a tent on the beach and works to support his family
TL;DR
- Ramadan, 12, lives in a tent on the beach in Gaza with his siblings and collects wood to light fires for tea.
- He works 12-hour days at a beach cafe, arranging tables, cleaning, and collecting trash to support his family.
- His father was killed in an Israeli bombing, and his family was displaced from their home in Beit Lahia.
- Ramadan collects water from trucks, as their tent and belongings have been damaged by rats.
- He fears the war, bombings, and returning famine, recalling instances of people fighting over food and being killed.
- Ramadan hopes to become a lifeguard or doctor and wishes for the war to end so he can return to school.
- He used to fly kites with friends but stopped after children flying them were bombed.