War in Gaza has not only taken Palestinian lives — it has robbed world leaders of their humanity

War in Gaza has not only taken Palestinian lives — it has robbed world leaders of their humanity

Two Palestinian women who lost their entire family say: “It feels like the world has forgotten Gaza’s lonely struggle.”
Asil and Afaf now spend their days in fear, humiliation, and without access to medical care — war has left them even more helpless.

According to an Al Jazeera report, in the densely populated Shati refugee camp in Gaza, 30-year-old Ranim Abu al-Aish lives inside a suffocating tent caring for her two disabled sisters — Asil (51) and Afaf (33).

“They can’t properly express what they need or how they feel. When the environment gets a little tense, they break down,” Ranim says.
Their behavior sometimes resembles Tourette syndrome — sudden screaming, unusual movements, or extreme emotional reactions.
“People laugh at them,” Ranim says. “But they cry.”

Seven members of Ranim’s family live inside this small, makeshift tent: her two disabled sisters, their ailing parents, another sister, and her husband. The tent provides no privacy, no relief from the scorching heat or the biting cold.
“When I have to change their clothes, I try to send others outside — but it’s not always possible,” says Ranim.

More painful than the physical hardship is the mockery and humiliation they face from society.
“People think they’re okay. But the reality is different. They want patience, empathy, and respect,” Ranim says.

Asil screams and cries in response to sudden noises or environmental changes. Afaf’s involuntary movements worsen if people speak loudly or argue nearby.
Children often mock her. “Even when she goes to the bathroom, people say nasty things, they laugh. It hurts them deeply,” Ranim adds.

Israel “took away our protector”

On October 25, 2024, Israeli forces detained the family’s eldest brother Mohammed from Kamal Adwan Hospital.
“He was everything to us. He brought medicine, took us to the hospital, coordinated with aid agencies,” Ranim says.
“Without Mohammed, we are completely alone now.”

Displacement, food, and medicine crisis

From March to May 2024, over 436,000 people in Gaza were newly displaced.
Ranim’s family originally lived in Block 2 of Jabalia, but their home was destroyed by bombing. Since then, they have wandered — from relatives’ houses to shelters, UN schools, and now to this tent.

Asil and Afaf both suffer from celiac disease, requiring gluten-free food. But Gaza’s main food is wheat bread — full of gluten.
“There are no vegetables, no meat. When Mohammed was here, he would find something. Now, we can’t,” Ranim says.

“We have to beg for sympathy everywhere we go”

Before the war, Asil and Afaf received regular care at Kamal Adwan Hospital. Now, everything is shut down.
Ranim has tried explaining to neighbors, has pleaded with community elders — but empathy is rare.
“People just stare or mock us. All we ask is that they try to understand.”

“They’re not just victims of war”

A tent, hunger, trauma, disability — amid all this, Asil and Afaf are still struggling to survive.
“They are not just victims of war,” Ranim says.
“The war in Gaza hasn’t just taken Palestinian lives — it has stripped world leaders of their humanity.”