The Story of Sabreen Harb

Sabreen Harb lives in the rubble of her destroyed home after being forced from her land under constant bombardment. She is now displaced, with her house lying in ruins beneath collapsed concrete. Infrastructure around her is shattered, and about 90% of Gaza’s population — nearly 1.9 million people — are displaced.

Sabreen now shelters in a makeshift tent made of torn plastic sheets and a few ragged blankets, offering no real protection from rain or cold. In winter, temperatures drop to below 6°C, bringing a surge in respiratory illnesses and infections.

Every morning, she quietly asks herself: “Will I eat today?” Over 87% of households in Gaza face severe food shortages, and aid workers say they now stand in the same food lines as those they once served.

Her meals consist of watery leftovers — a thin eggplant stew, a can of beans, or dry bread reheated over an open flame. Food is rare, expensive, and sometimes stolen before it can reach the people. Mothers stretch a single meal to feed four or five mouths, just hoping their children wake up hungry but still alive.

Water is an even harder battle. Clean water is almost non-existent. People spend hours carrying small jugs of water that may be contaminated, often only 3–5 liters per person per day — far below the UN-recommended 15 liters.

Her health and her children’s health are in constant danger. Prolonged hunger is deadly — over 235 people, mostly children, have already died from starvation. Waterborne diseases are spreading, with cases rising by more than 150% in recent months.

Medical care is nearly impossible to reach. Thousands of patients — including sick children and pregnant women — are waiting for evacuation approval, and some die while waiting.

Emotionally, Sabreen lives between despair and the stubborn will to survive. Nights are dreaded — for fear of bombings or the deep hunger that grows stronger in the dark. Around her, people shelter in schools, playgrounds, and ruined buildings, with no electricity, polluted streets, and collapsed infrastructure.