Gaza diary: Amid the rubble

Gaza , these days , is more exhausting than usual.

The children’s faces are pale, their shoulders thin, their eyes hollow.

As for me, I’ve stopped eating bread.

I rely on lentils, fava beans, chickpeas and the occasional vegetable that shows up in the market.

Saja 's father was injured in a bombing and her father is now the man of the house.

Most bank branches and ATMs have been destroyed, so our banknotes have become tattered and worn.

We use the Israeli currency in Gaza , and commonly used denominations, such as the ten -shekel note, are no longer accepted due to their tattered condition.

All we have are the vine and mulberry leaves, which we deliberately overstuff with rice.

Mahmoud insists on watching until the stuffed leaves are ready.

He wants to be the first to taste them, sitting by the pot like a little guardian of the family table.