Ayish Younis, an 89-year-old Palestinian refugee, has been displaced twice in his lifetime—first in 1948 and now in the current Gaza conflict, and he expresses profound despair about Gaza’s future, believing that extensive destruction makes rebuilding impossible.
Ayish currently lives in a tent in Al-Mawasi near Khan Younis after being forced to leave his home in Rafah due to an Israeli evacuation order; his four-storey house was destroyed, and he now resides in a small canvas tent with limited access to water and basic amenities, echoing his displacement in 1948 when he fled his village of Barbara during the first Arab-Israeli war. He recalls riding away on a camel with his grandmother at age 12, terrified for his life, and eventually settling in a UN tented camp in Gaza, where his family built a home over decades.
Over the years, Ayish became a teacher and imam, marrying Khadija and raising 18 children—reportedly a record for a Palestinian family—with 79 grandchildren today. His children have achieved higher education, becoming engineers, nurses, and teachers, but many now live abroad in countries like the Gulf or London, reflecting the widespread dispersal of Gazan families due to ongoing conflicts and economic hardships. Despite avoiding politics, the family has faced repeated tragedies, including the death of his daughter Fadwa in cross-fire during the 2007 street battles between Hamas and Fatah.
The current war, triggered by the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, led to Ayish’s latest displacement, and he describes the situation as “more than a catastrophe,” with no certainty about how long they will remain in tents. A ceasefire agreement was reached on October 9, 2025, resulting in the release of hostages and prisoners, but Ayish remains skeptical about long-term peace, fearing that Israel will retain control and that reconstruction efforts will fall short.
Ayish doubts that Gaza can be fully rebuilt due to the massive destruction of infrastructure, schools, and health services, and he believes his educated grandchildren may not find opportunities in Gaza, potentially contributing more from abroad. His son Haritha, also living in a tent, emphasizes that an entire generation has been devastated by the war, with children missing years of education and families losing livelihoods, leaving many questions about the future unanswered.
Despite the gloom, Ayish’s eldest son Ahmed, now a spinal cord injury specialist in London, holds onto hope, trusting in the determination of Gazans to rebuild their lives. However, Ayish himself clings to the dream of returning to his ancestral land in Barbara, holding title deeds as a symbol of the past, though he admits, “I don’t believe Gaza has any future.”