On Global Day of Parents, Gaza parents trapped in a cycle of survival

As Global Day of Parents falls on Monday, parents in the Gaza Strip spend another day seeking water, food, and supplies for their children amid ongoing hardships brought by the war, reported Xinhua.

Although a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel took effect in October 2025, the latest round of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that erupted on Oct. 7, 2023, has fundamentally altered the course of life for many parents. Among them is 37-year-old Salim Othman, a former university professor pursuing a doctoral degree in economics.

"Life in Gaza is a cycle of survival, and we (parents) are all trapped in a vicious cycle," said Othman, who is displaced from Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip and now lives in a tent in Gaza City.

"Instead of being engrossed in research and completing my postgraduate studies, I find myself preoccupied with queuing for water and food, and securing basic needs for my children," he said.

Othman is not alone. Saeed Abu Shakoush, 39, from Rafah and now living in a tent in Deir al-Balah, spends his days in a displacement shelter, trying to maintain routines for his four children.

Before the conflict, he met his children's educational and recreational needs, such as football, mental arithmetic, and chess. "Now I can barely meet their daily requirements," he said, adding that his main concern is now immediate survival, not long-term planning.

In Gaza City, the life of 29-year-old Mariam Hassan has undergone a similarly profound change. She lost her husband, parents, and siblings in an Israeli airstrike, leaving her as the sole caregiver for her three children and her 12-year-old sister.

"I don't think about myself anymore," Hassan told Xinhua. "Every day begins with the same question: how will I feed my children, and how will I provide water or medicine if they need it?"

Sleep, she added, has become fragmented due to exhaustion and fear stemming from the ongoing bombardment. "Even basic things have changed. Food is carefully calculated, and all our time is focused on meeting basic needs. I live under constant pressure, but I cannot stop," she said.

Despite the hardship, Hassan said her children remain her main source of strength. "Sometimes I feel overwhelmed inside, but when I look at them, I continue. They are innocent and should not bear what is happening," she said.

Nourhan Ahmed, a social worker working in displacement camps across the Gaza Strip, told Xinhua that the prolonged conflict has placed immense psychological and economic burdens on parents.

"Parents are engaged in a daily struggle to secure their children's basic needs while also trying to shield them from the psychological trauma of the war," she said.

"They are constantly balancing survival with emotional caregiving, despite enduring the same hardships as their children. This has significantly increased their stress levels and deepened their uncertainty about the future," she added.