The hospital complex is close to Sheikh Radwan neighborhood and Al Shati camp, where ground fighting was reported by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Hamas separately. “We do not have electricity, no oxygen for the patients, we do not have medicine and water,” al-Kahlout said. “We do not know our fate.”

His call comes after strikes were reported near several other hospitals in northern Gaza, including al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City, the territory’s largest medical facility.

A World Health Organization (WHO) spokesperson said Friday that al-Shifa was “coming under bombardment,” adding that 20 hospitals in the Gaza Strip were “out of action.”

Asked about a potential Israeli airstrike on al-Shifa hospital on Friday, WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris said in a briefing: “I haven’t got the detail on al-Shifa but we do know they are coming under bombardment.”

The Israeli military claimed late Friday that a misfired projectile launched from inside Gaza was responsible for the strike on the al-Shifa hospital.

The IDF said that an examination of its operational systems had indicated that “a misfired projectile launched by terrorist organizations inside the Gaza Strip hit the Shifa Hospital.”

Hecht went on to claim that the projectile had been aimed at “IDF troops operating in the vicinity.”

Several social media videos showed people injured in what was described as al-Shifa’s outpatient clinic.

In a Facebook statement, Al Awda hospital in northern Gaza said that due to the “targeting (of) the vicinity of Al Awda Hospital… and the vicinity of the Indonesian Hospital” by Israeli forces, 10 of its employees were injured, infrastructure was hit and nine vehicles were impacted.

This included “two ambulances that were completely damaged,” the hospital statement said.

Human rights groups say Israel’s mass bombardment of civilian areas, evacuation orders and blockade of the territory amount to war crimes.

In a separate statement, the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said one of their volunteers had been injured and two ambulances rendered unusable by a strike near Al Awda hospital. The group also shared images and a video of two ambulances with their windscreens shattered in what appears to be the hospital parking lot. It was not immediately clear if PRCS was referring to the same ambulances mentioned in the hospital’s statement.

The IDF has not commented on the incidents but has repeatedly called on civilians to move south of Wadi Gaza, a waterway bisecting the center of the Strip, as it intensifies its assault on Gaza City and the north of the territory.

Majority of Gaza hospitals have stopped functioning

Israel began its offensive inside Gaza, following the October 7 Hamas attacks. While Israel had previously said 1,400 people were killed in the attacks, officials said Friday they now believe the total number of people killed to be around 1,200.

The death toll includes foreign workers and other foreign nationals, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lior Haiat confirmed.

The current estimate of 1,200 is not a final number, Haiat emphasized, because some of the bodies are yet to be identified.

The Israeli military has since stepped up its campaign on northern Gaza in recent days, effectively cutting the territory in two, with its ground operations and fiercest aerial bombardment apparently concentrated in the north.

But the impact on healthcare facilities has raised concerns about the dire humanitarian situation for those remaining in northern Gaza. The majority of hospitals in Gaza – 18 out of 35 – have stopped functioning, the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Ramallah, which draws its figures from the Hamas-controlled territory, said on Thursday.

In addition, 71% of all primary-care facilities have shut down due to damage or lack of fuel, the ministry said. Its statement said that the hospitals that remain open are limited in what they can provide and are shutting gradually down wards.

Volker Türk, the top United Nations human rights official, on Friday meanwhile raised doubts over Israel’s unilateral establishment of “safe zones” in Gaza, saying that nowhere within the territory was safe for civilians.

Streams of Palestinians – including women, children and the elderly – are making their way south in a growing exodus along daily evacuation corridors announced by the Israeli military.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday said that “far too many Palestinians have been killed, far too many have suffered these past weeks” – one of his most direct condemnations of the civilian toll that the Israeli offensive has taken in Gaza.

This is a developing story and is being updated.

For over a decade, AfriLabs has been at the forefront of cultivating a vibrant tech ecosystem across the African continent.

Through the strength of community networks, this organization has become a driving force for change, catalyzing innovation and technology advancements in Africa.

The annual AfriLabs Gathering, held in Kigali, Rwanda, is a testament to its commitment to uniting the African tech community. With more than 400 innovation hubs convening, the event becomes a melting pot for young innovators, entrepreneurs, and startups across various sectors.

This year’s gathering in October aimed to strengthen the tech ecosystem, leveraging innovation and digital technologies to create sustainable businesses, generate jobs, and foster economic development, according to executive director Anna Ekeledo.

Consultancy firm McKinsey and Company predicts Africa’s Digital Economy will reach a staggering $712 billion by 2050, positioning it as a global powerhouse.

As Ekeledo puts it, “Our youthful and dynamic population is eager to seize the power of technology and innovation to overcome challenges and create opportunities in Africa.

The event also marked the signing of significant partnerships, including one with Algeria Venture, focusing on exploring cooperation opportunities and supporting the management, funding, and promotion of startups across Africa.

Ekeledo highlighted the opportunity for Algerian startups to connect with the wider African innovation ecosystem and for Afrilabs to expand its reach in North Africa.

The organization also partnered with Builder.ai, unveiling a collaboration to provide technical support for African entrepreneurs and innovators. This partnership aims to bridge the gap for those with innovative solutions but lacking resources and technical know-how to develop essential apps and software.

From inception to impact

AfriLabs’ journey began in 2011 with just five members across four African countries. Today, it boasts 435 members across all 54 African nations.

The organization’s multifaceted approach includes capacity building, policy advocacy, networking, innovative financing models, and a strong emphasis on gender inclusion.

With a trailblazing woman at its helm, Afrilabs addresses the gender gap in the tech industry, recognizing that the African tech landscape remains predominantly male-dominated.

AfriLabs has ambitious plans, focusing on scaling recently launched initiatives like AfriLabs Connect and RevUp Women, in a partnership with the Visa Foundation. The organization also aims to empower 50,000 women-led enterprises throughout Africa by providing training, mentoring, and capacity-building sessions.

The project, currently in its pilot phase, is taking place across 10 Innovation Hubs in 10 cities, spanning five countries and benefiting 500 women entrepreneurs.

“We plan to inject $10,000 into 10 women-owned businesses through the Catalytic Africa initiative and establish five mentoring networks that stretch across the continent,” said Ekeledo.

“We’ve crafted a comprehensive approach, leveraging strategies such as peer-to-peer learning and mentorship by female coaches. These tactics align seamlessly with AfriLabs’ broader inclusion strategy, ensuring that women entrepreneurs have a support system tailored to their specific needs,” she added.

An innovative funding model

The Catalytic Africa Programme, an innovative financing model devised by Afrilabs in partnership with the African Business Angel Network was launched three years ago, says Ekeledo.

The program secures funds from diverse partners and contributes to a central pool, serving as a matching or co-investment fund, incentivizing investment in viable AfriLabs-affiliated startups.

“Within this model, we connect innovators, the intrapreneurs within our network to the investors within a bank, and then we match the fund when an investment is made, and then provide follow on support … We’re building a holistic ecosystem that will create prosperity and wealth for all involved for the innovators and for the partners,” Ekeledo said.

Afrilabs’ impact extends beyond networking; it has played a pivotal role in influencing policy changes and creating a supportive environment for startups.

Innovation hubs, crucial to the development of the continent’s entrepreneurship ecosystem, receive support from Afrilabs, these hubs, in turn, offer a platform to entrepreneurs

Oswald Osaretin Guobadia, who describes himself as a digital evangelist and is a managing partner at DigitA, attests to the profound impact that Afrilabs has had.

“This is exactly what’s amazing about Afrilabs – they support the supporters.  They provide an essential backbone to the hubs that provide a platform to the entrepreneurs,” he added.

Afrilabs has also played a role in influencing policy changes and has been instrumental in the emergence of “startup acts” that shape regulatory environments favorable to innovation.

Its participation in the Nigeria Startup Act and the ongoing Nigeria Startup Act State Adoption program showcases commitment to driving conversations and effecting change, says Guobadia.

“The Nigeria StartUp Act (NSA) … identified Afrilabs as a key innovation hub community builder. Their involvement in the Act development was invaluable.

“They will also play a crucial role in the Nigeria Startup Act State Adoption program using their vast Nigerian members  hub network to drive the conversation across states,” he added.

There was a moment that fell under the radar while the Prince of Wales was in Singapore this week.

All eyes were on Tuesday’s glitzy award ceremony for his ambitious $50 million Earthshot Prize, which was held in Asia for the first time.

There, Prince William and a star-studded cast announced this year’s cohort of winner, but earlier in the week, the heir to the throne achieved his own, quieter, victory.

The Windsors overload their diaries when overseas, so it was no surprise that alongside his eco-initiative commitments, the 41-year-old prince filled his four days in-country with related engagements. One of those was his attendance at the first major overseas summit of his United for Wildlife project.

Set up by William and his Royal Foundation in 2014, the initiative assembles leading figures from conservation, government and law enforcement to halt the poaching of animals and prevent the illegal trade of their parts.

At that event on Monday, William delivered a passionate speech, emphasizing the far-reaching repercussions of the slaughter and sale of the world’s most endangered animals, and revealed a landmark global partnership to end the practice.

“I am delighted to announce today that United for Wildlife has led the creation of a world-first International Statement of Principles, agreed by governments to prevent, detect, and deter the financial activity that sustains the illegal wildlife trade,” the prince told delegates.

The United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa and Singapore are some of the signatories that have committed to regular cooperation. The hope is that the collective support will lead to more seizures and arrests.

William also announced a joint effort with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and Interpol, in which the organizations will work together to disrupt the global criminal network.

One of the questions we’re often asked is about the real-world return from all the speeches, walkabouts and waving the royal family does. William’s announcements are one example of their convening power.

“I’m incredibly proud that our network has supported over 600 investigations, nearly 300 seizures of illegal wildlife products, and the training of over 110,000 people,” William said at the United for Wildlife Global Summit.

Having this kind of quantifiable impact is at the core of William’s vision for his time as Prince of Wales.

Careful not to dismiss the work done by the rest of his family, who “have been very much spotlighting brilliantly,” the prince told the traveling British press that he wants “to go a step further.”

“I want to actually bring change and bring people to the table who can do the change if I can’t,” he said.

William explained that he didn’t want to dilute his impact by being spread too thin across numerous social causes. Instead, he’s been mulling over how he can go “deeper” and “show my intent more.”

The late Queen Elizabeth II put charity at the heart of her role. When Charles was Prince of Wales, he pushed boundaries with his activism and now, as King, he is engaging with subjects avoided by his ancestors. For William, rather than just highlighting issues, he is drilling down into causes he has backed for years and is now trying to deliver measurable change for them.

It’s a gamble when royals get involved in potentially divisive issues rather than just casting a spotlight on them. They can find themselves under fire from the court of public opinion or risk inching into the political space. But in a world of shifting attitudes, William’s action-based approach could make him the more effectual royal that critics have been calling for.

Lahore has become the latest megacity to shut down as pollution chokes swathes of South Asia, where nearly 50 million people have been breathing toxic air for nearly a week.

Pakistan’s second most populous city – of more than 13 million people – has shut schools and closed public parks, malls and offices after the air quality index (AQI) this week spiked to more than 400, according to IQAir. That number is considered “hazardous” by the Swiss air tracking company.

Authorities in Pakistan’s Punjab province have imposed an “environmental and health emergency” in three cities – Gujranwala and Hafizabad in addition to Lahore – until the situation improves, its chief minister Mohsin Naqvi said this week. The three cities combined account for more than 15 million people.

“There shall be a limited movement of people to and from these areas by public and private transport,” a statement from Naqvi’s office said Tuesday.

Naqvi’s government has also restricted the gathering of more than four people in one place.

The pollution spike in Pakistan comes after neighboring India saw smog blanket its capital New Delhi last week, as colder temperatures trapped pollution particles, creating a toxic haze that reached hazardous levels.

Traditionally, toward the end of the year after the winter harvest, millions of farmers clear their leftover rice stubble by setting fields alight to prepare for the incoming wheat crop. This, together with vehicular and industrial pollution, has created copious amounts of smog across the northern Indian states of Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and New Delhi.

India’s Supreme Court this week ordered authorities in the states surrounding New Delhi to stop farmers from burning leftover crops, while also banning the use of firecrackers nationwide ahead of the upcoming Diwali festival this weekend.

The court has issued similar orders over the years with minimal effect.

Other major Indian cities, including Kolkata and Mumbai, also ranked on IQAir’s list of the world’s 20 most polluted cities this week, with pollution levels fluctuating between “hazardous” and “unhealthy.”

Local authorities have scrambled to implement measures to alleviate the pollution, from restricting vehicles on roads, sprinkling water on pavements and banning non-essential construction to reduce the dust.

Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, which has a population of more than 10 million people, also featured on IQAir’s list of most polluted cities, with an AQI that reached 222 on Friday, a number that is considered “very unhealthy” according to the company.

The PM2.5 levels in all these cities far exceed the World Health Organization’s limit and illustrate a growing concern for South Asian countries as they experience rapid industrializations and population booms that are fueling pollution levels.

PM 2.5 particles include pollutants such as sulfates, nitrates and black carbon, exposure to which can impair people’s cognitive and immune functions. They are also linked to lung and heart disorders.

Environment groups and policy makers have long called for more effective solutions to manage population growth, saying current measures such as restricting transport and halting construction make little difference in the long-term.

The effects of the worsening air are already visible in some parts of India.

According to a 2021 study by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC), bad air could reduce the life expectancy of Delhi residents by as much as nine years.

The study also found that every single one of India’s 1.4 billion residents endures annual average pollution levels that exceed guidelines set by the World Health Organization.

Doctors in the Indian capital say they have seen an increase in pollution-related illnesses, with patients complaining of cough, throat irritation, shortness of breath and skin problems, among others.

Scientists have rediscovered a long-lost species of mammal described as having the spines of a hedgehog, the snout of an anteater and the feet of a mole, in Indonesia’s Cyclops Mountains more than 60 years after it was last recorded.

Attenborough’s long-beaked echidna, named after British naturalist David Attenborough, was photographed for the first time by a trail camera on the last day of a four-week expedition led by Oxford University scientists.

Having descended from the mountains at the end of the trip, biologist James Kempton found the images of the small creature walking through the forest undergrowth on the last memory card retrieved from more than 80 remote cameras.

“There was a great sense of euphoria, and also relief having spent so long in the field with no reward until the very final day,” he said, describing the moment he first saw the footage with collaborators from Indonesian conservation group YAPPENDA.

“I shouted out to my colleagues that were still remaining… and said ‘we found it, we found it’ – I ran in from my desk to the living room and hugged the guys.”

Echidnas share their name with a half-woman, half-serpent Greek mythological creature, and were described by the team as shy, nocturnal burrow-dwellers who are notoriously difficult to find.

“The reason it appears so unlike other mammals is because it is a member of the monotremes – an egg-laying group that separated from the rest of the mammal tree-of-life about 200 million years ago,” Kempton said.

The species has only been scientifically recorded once before, by a Dutch botanist in 1961. A different echidna species is found throughout Australia and lowland New Guinea.

Kempton’s team survived an earthquake, malaria and even a leech attached to an eyeball during their trip. They worked with the local village Yongsu Sapari to navigate and explore the remote terrain of northeastern Papua.

The echidna is embedded in the local culture, including a tradition that states conflicts are resolved by sending one party to a disagreement into the forest to search for the mammal and another to the ocean to find a marlin, according to Yongsu Sapari elders cited by the university.

Both creatures were seen as so difficult to find that it would often take decades or a generation to locate them, but, once found, the animals symbolized the end of the conflict and a return to harmonious relationships.

A British doctor who escaped Gaza with his family has been sent back to the war zone after Egyptian officials told him his name wasn’t on the list of evacuees, according to a British Member of Parliament.

Dr. Ahmed Sabra was in Gaza when Israel declared war on Hamas following the militant group’s October 7 attacks, said Geraint Davies, the local MP for Swansea West in Wales, where Sabra lives and works as a National Health Service consultant.

Davies shared video and voice notes Sabra recorded as he made the perilous trip with his wife and children to the Rafah crossing, where they had hoped to cross into Egypt and find safety before returning home.

But Davies said while Sabra’s family was allowed through, he was not on the approved list of foreign nationals.

“I’m calling for the British government to do their duty and evacuate myself and other British nationals to safety to go back home,” he added.

“He’s now been dumped on the street by the UK without shelter, 10% [phone] charge, and little data in a bomb zone. I wouldn’t wish this on anyone,” Davies said.

“He needs the help of the FCDO [Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office] to get him home from danger with his family and wants the UK to do everything in its power to secure his safety.”

In the video and voice messages, the doctor said he and three other British nationals waited for two and a half days at the border for the British embassy to intervene.

Davies said Sabra was provided with food, drink, and a sofa to sleep on while he waited, but he was eventually sent on a bus back to Gaza.

He said Sabra told him he was in “daily contact” with the British Foreign Office and British embassy in Egypt before he was sent back to Gaza.

“This involves submitting all details of British nationals and eligible dependents to the Israeli and Egyptian authorities. The authorities then review all cases and give permissions to cross.”

The statement said that the office is in contact with British Nationals in Gaza and UK teams are sent to the border to receive anyone allowed to leave.

It made no mention of Sabra’s case.

More than 4,800 people signed an online petition as of Friday to call for the British authorities to speed up efforts to evacuate Sabra.

The British Islamic Medical Association said in a statement on Thursday they “demand urgent evacuation of Dr Sabra and other British nationals trapped in Gaza.”

More than 150 British nationals have left Gaza for Egypt via the Rafah crossing, according to British Foreign Office minister Andrew Mitchell.

Manila accused Chinese ships of firing water cannons and making “dangerous maneuvers” toward Philippine vessels resupplying a remote military outpost on Friday, in the latest of a string of incidents between the two countries in the disputed South China Sea.

Philippine authorities said a Chinese coast guard vessel had fired water cannon against its vessel M/L Kalayaan in “an illegal though unsuccessful attempt to force [it] to alter course,” as it took part in a routine resupply mission to troops stationed on the BRP Sierra Madre in the Second Thomas Shoal.

The Philippines also claimed that vessels belonging to a Chinese maritime militia were involved in the harassment and that two Philippine boats were subjected to “reckless” and “dangerous” harassment by inflatable boats belonging to the Chinese coast guard.

The BRP Sierra Madre is a former US Navy ship the Philippines grounded in 1999 at the Second Thomas Shoal – known as Ayungin Shoal to Manila and Ren’ai Reef to Beijing – to enforce its claim to the area.

That claim is hotly disputed by China and the two countries have been involved in increasingly frequent run-ins in the highly contested waterway.

A spokesperson for China’s coast guard, Gan Yu, said in a statement that two small transport vessels and three marine police vessels from the Philippines “entered the waters adjacent to Ren’ai Reef in China’s Nansha Islands without the permission of the Chinese government.”

The statement claimed China has “indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha Islands and their adjacent waters, including Ren’ai Reef,” adding the “actions of the Philippine side infringe on China’s territorial sovereignty” and urging Manila to “immediately stop its infringing actions.”

The latest incident near Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands comes nearly three weeks after Beijing and Manila blamed each other for two collisions near the same area.

In its statement following the latest incident, the Philippines said it condemned “once again, China’s latest unprovoked acts of coercion and dangerous maneuvers against a legitimate and routine Philippine rotation and resupply mission.”

China’s actions had not only “put the lives of our people at risk,” but had “put into question and significant doubt the sincerity of its calls for peaceful dialogue,” it added.

Filipino troops stationed on the BRP Sierra Madre live under spartan conditions on the mostly rusted wreckage of the World War II era ship and rely on the regular delivery of supplies.

Despite the run-in Friday, the Philippine government said the resupply mission was completed.

Beijing claims “indisputable sovereignty” over almost all of the South China Sea, and most of the islands and sandbars within it, including many features that are hundreds of miles from mainland China, in defiance of an international court ruling in 2016 that sided with the Philippines.

 
The Philippine Embassy in Beijing has protested to the Chinese Foreign Ministry over the latest incident.

The South China Sea is widely seen as a potential flashpoint for global conflict. The recent confrontations between Manila and Beijing have raised concerns among Western observers that the disputes could potentially develop into an international incident if China, a global power, decides to act more forcefully against the Philippines, a US treaty ally.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday signed a bilateral agreement with Tuvalu, aimed at countering China’s influence in the Pacific and protecting the tiny island nation from climate change.

The agreement, which Albanese said made Australia Tuvalu’s “partner of choice”, covers climate change, security and human mobility.

“The Australia-Tuvalu Falepili union will be regarded as a significant day in which Australia acknowledged that we are part of the Pacific family,” Albanese told a news conference in the Cook Islands where he is attending a meeting of Pacific leaders.

Australia will create a special visa for up to 280 Tuvaluans annually, 2.5% of the 11,200 population. Funds will also be provided for land reclamation in Tuvalu to expand land in the capital Funafuti by around 6%.

In a nod to China’s growing presence in the region, the agreement also requires the parties to consult before signing security or defence agreements with third parties.

Tuvalu is one of just 13 nations to maintain an official diplomatic relationship with Taiwan, as Beijing has made increasing inroads into the Pacific.

Australia will also provide security support if requested by Tuvalu, Albanese said.

While the full text of the agreement has not been released, the Sydney Morning Herald reported earlier on Friday that all 11,200 residents of Tuvalu would be offered refuge in Australia if climate change made the country uninhabitable.

The government press release following the treaty signing made no mention of mass climate asylum.

Tuvalu, a collection of nine low-lying islands mid-way between Australia and Hawaii, is one of the world’s most at-risk countries from climate change and has long drawn international attention to the issue.

Earlier this year, Tuvalu appeared at legal hearings at an international court in Germany, seeking an advisory opinion on the obligations of countries to combat climate change.

Former Tuvalu Foreign Minister Simon Kofe told the COP27 climate summit last year Tuvalu plans to build a digital version of itself, replicating islands and landmarks and preserving its history and culture.

Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon dropped by 22.3% in the 12 months through July, government data showed Thursday, as President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva made progress on a pledge to rein in the destruction that happened under his predecessor Jair Bolsonaro.

Some 9,000 square kilometers (3,475 square miles) of Amazon jungle were destroyed in the 12 months through July, according to data from Brazilian space research agency Inpe, down from the 11,568 square kilometers cleared a year earlier.

It was the smallest area cleared since 2018, the year before Bolsonaro took office. The Amazon jungle is the world’s largest rainforest and its protection is seen as vital to curbing climate change.

“It’s an impressive result and seals Brazil’s return to the climate agenda,” said Marcio Astrini, head of advocacy group Climate Observatory.

Still, this year’s deforestation rate remains nearly twice that of the all-time low in forest destruction in 2012 and far from Lula’s pledge to reach zero deforestation by 2030.

Lula staked his international reputation on halting deforestation on assuming office this year and stepped up enforcement of environmental laws after four years of soaring destruction under Bolsonaro, who weakened environmental agencies.

Under the right-wing former president, destruction at the hands of ranchers, land speculators and miners surged to a 15 year high.

The annual data, produced yearly by Inpe’s PRODES satellite monitoring program, is far more accurate than its DETER alert system, which publishes weekly figures.

The official annual period is measured from August to July as there is less cloud cover in the middle of the year to obscure deforestation on satellite images.

My wife woke me up early on Saturday, October 7, saying there were sounds of rocket fire outside. I went up to the roof of our house and saw a barrage of projectiles being fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel.

My two children – Zeid, 10, and Khalil, 7— followed me to the roof. There’s likely no school today, Khalil said.

I asked my pregnant wife Rasha and the kids not to leave the house. Soon after, Israel began its bombardment campaign over Gaza, retaliating against Hamas’ rockets and deadly assault that day.

And therein begins the story of my displacement. As Israeli airstrikes battered the enclave, my manager in Jerusalem and I decided that I should move with my family to the Ayan hotel in the Al-Mashtal neighborhood by the coast, a sturdy building that would likely withstand shelling and shrapnel, and which has a basement that is often used as a makeshift bomb shelter. Gaza does not have bomb shelters for civilians.

There, my family and I slept and awoke to the sound of explosions for days. The area was being increasingly targeted by Israeli airstrikes.

We stayed there until October 12, when we decided to move to my sister’s house on Al-Jalaa Street. Missiles began raining down on residential towers near the hotel the second I left.

But we stayed at my sister’s house for only one night. The next morning, Israel called on all citizens in the Strip’s north – where we were – to evacuate southwards. I found a car and headed towards Khan Younis, a city close to the Egyptian border in the south, hoping to stay at the Crescent Hotel there.

Upon arrival, we were surprised to realize that the hotel was abandoned. It was uninhabitable. We then sought refuge in a house belonging to a family member in the Al-Amal neighborhood.

A life of danger and exhaustion

We stayed in Khan Younis for three weeks. Each day, we had to secure essentials for survival: food, water, power.

Throughout our time there, we worked to find potable water, which we could only purchase in limited quantities. Food was rationed. Lines at the nearby bakery would start at 5 a.m., and one could only buy up to 25 small loaves.

It was not long after that the bread ran out. We then started making our own.

Water used for showering and washing clothes was bought by the liter – around 250 Israeli shekels ($65) for 5,000 liters, which, in all honesty, we sometimes drank out of thirst.

Throughout our time in Khan Younis, we showered just three times, with cold water. And with each shower we came down with coughs, and infections.

I had to keep my devices charged, because losing battery meant being cut off from the rest of the world. Hospitals were some of the few places that still had power, so every day I would go to Al-Hilal Hospital in Khan Younis and sit on the floor while my phone and laptop charged.

I eventually installed solar panels on our roof with the help of local engineers, which luckily gave us power without needing to risk our lives by leaving the house. Airstrikes were taking place just 100 meters away.

As fuel ran out, we used everything from horse and donkey carts to bicycles as means of transportation.

It was a life of danger and exhaustion.

I took my children’s phones away, afraid of the trauma they would further endure by watching the war online. They had already experienced the horrors of bombs and rockets in earlier wars between Hamas and Israel.

Caring for children and my wife in these conditions tore my heart to pieces. One day I called my colleague Abeer Salman in Jerusalem and cried, and cried, and cried.

A lifeline

On November 3, I was told by my manager to head to the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, as our names were on a list of people to be evacuated that had been submitted by the US embassy in Israel.

I arrived at Rafah with my wife, who only had an identification card but no passport, and my two children who had nothing but birth certificates. They had never left Gaza before.

I was the only one with a passport, which expires in three months.

The early hours of my escape were a relief. I had been a drowning man, frantically searching for something to grab on to survive. In leaving Gaza, I was given a lifeline.

But as my fear and anxiety ease, I realize that peace remains distant.

My parents and siblings remain trapped in the enclave, sheltering in a school, surrounded by Israeli shelling. I am also haunted by our unknown fate: Where will we go from here? What is our future?

Endless memories come to mind as I recall the past month in Gaza, trivial but sad memories. When I fled my home, I asked my brother to release the pigeons I had been raising, fearing that they may starve if I’m away for long. Rasha had to leave her cat Lulu behind as the hotel we were heading to didn’t allow pets. Khalil, my son, was very attached to it.

I’ve covered many wars through the years. Nothing compares to the current conflict. Entire quarters in Gaza have been eviscerated, thousands of women, children and elderly have perished. What have civilians done to deserve this?

In Khan Younis, I was afraid to sleep, worried I would die in my sleep, unable to save myself or my family.

We have escaped the bombing, but our sleep is yet to return.