Disclaimer: This article highlights a few topics discussed in Episode 1 of Sanaa’s Odyssey, a five-part podcast series produced by The New Arab that chronicles one woman’s survival amid Israel’s recent war on Gaza.
To listen to the full episode, visit the podcast section on The New Arab’s website.
“At 6:25 am, I was carrying my cup and standing on my balcony. I was sipping my daily Nescafé coffee when suddenly, I saw dozens, maybe even hundreds, of rockets in the sky — just suddenly, without any prior notice. I remember my mum rushing to me, crying. She asked, ‘What’s happening? Will they kill us? Who is launching the rockets?’”
These are the words of Sanaa Kamal, a freelance journalist from Gaza.
Despite having “lived through countless wars,” nothing could have prepared her for the magnitude of Israel’s genocide on Gaza after 7 October 2023.
As Sanaa explains, the scale and devastation that followed the attacks changed her life forever.
Now, more than a year and a half later and with over 50,000 lives lost, Sanaa is ready to share her story — reflecting on her fight for survival amid Israel’s ongoing violence and its lasting impact on Palestinian lives.
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‘We had our own life’
Tel al-Hawa, meaning ‘Hill of the Wind’ in English, is located in the southwest of Gaza City and was Sanaa’s home before 7 October.
As she shares with The New Arab, she lived a normal life in an eighth-floor apartment with her mother, brother, and sister.
Every morning, she would stand on her balcony, sip her daily cup of Nescafé coffee, and watch the boats on the sea and the fishermen catching their fish.
“I lived in one of the most beautiful areas in the Gaza Strip… We had our own life, which was very simple… but actually, was very beautiful for us”
For Sanaa and many others familiar with Tel al-Hawa, this middle-class yet relatively affluent neighbourhood is marked by high-rise buildings, towers, and beautiful houses and is home to many educated professionals, including doctors, engineers, managers, and banking employees.
Reflecting on life in Tel al-Hawa before 7 October, Sanaa recalls, “I lived in one of the most beautiful areas in the Gaza Strip. We had our own life, which was very simple… but actually, was very beautiful for us.”
In saying this, Sanaa highlights that, despite over 80% of Gaza’s population living below the poverty line in 2022 and 64% facing food insecurity, she and her family lived in relative financial security, especially given the constraints of the Israeli blockade.
Shattered lives
Like the rest of the population living in Gaza, Sanaa’s life was turned upside down when Israel began its brutal genocide on the enclave in October 2023.
On October 7, Sanaa and her family rushed to the supermarket to stock up on food and supplies, preparing for the worst.
“We bought many things, especially food, and brought them inside our house,” Sanaa recalls, adding that as the attacks intensified, fear quickly set in, putting everyone in panic mode, not knowing what Israel would do next.
“Would it last for minutes? Maybe hours?” This is exactly what Sanaa was thinking the whole time, assuming that she would be able to return home once the attacks subsided.
“It was the most terrifying night of my life. There were no streets, no houses, no towers, no people — only the smell of smoke, fire, and death”
Unfortunately, for Sanaa, this hope was short-lived. “Everything around us became black. I saw a white cloud around us,” she says.
“We started to run on foot for one hour amid the Israeli attacks… It was the most terrifying night of my life. There were no streets, no houses, no towers, no people — only the smell of smoke, fire, and death.”
She adds, “When I looked into the eyes of the people in the streets, especially those inspecting their homes, I saw the destruction of their futures. I saw their lives shattered.
“Then, I saw the tears in the eyes of the men… It’s not easy for Palestinian men to cry. The Palestinian men I met were either silent or in tears — some scared, others with nothing to say.”
A blow to the Palestinian cause
To this day, Sanaa believes that the events of 7 October didn’t just cost Palestinians their lives; they also dealt a severe blow to the Palestinian cause.
She explains, “Because of 7 October, we lost everything — not just our lives, but also the future of our cause. The events of 7 October have turned everything upside down. Neither I, nor any other Palestinian in Gaza, can imagine what will happen tomorrow, next week, next month, or in the years to come. We don’t know anything.”
Speaking of loss, Sanaa recalls the moment she was forced to leave her flat with “nothing” after Israel issued evacuation orders.
“I took nothing — not my 19 years of archived work, nor a photo of my father,” she says, adding, “We didn’t even have time to properly inspect our houses or take things from inside. The Israeli army gave us just two hours to witness the destruction, sending a clear message: ‘This is what Hamas brought to you.'”
That said, amid the chaos, Sanaa shared that the only items she managed to take were her laptop and press vest.
“It was my identity,” she says, referring to the latter. “My press vest is my true identity, not my national ID or passport.”
‘I stayed optimistic’
Despite losing almost everything, Sanaa stresses that as the war raged on, she didn’t let go of hope and continued to hold onto the belief that she would return to her home.
“I stayed optimistic, telling myself I would come back to my home soon,” she says.
In sharing this, Sanaa notes that her family didn’t share her hope. “They laughed at me, saying, ‘You’re dreaming. We will never go back to our home.’
“I argued with them, saying, ‘No, we will go back to our house. I will return to my area, to my flat,’” she adds, noting that time and again, she told her mother, “I’ll come back to my house, I’ll take my coffee on my balcony, and return to life as it was before.”
To continue following Sanaa’s story, listen to part 2 of the podcast series on Monday, 7 April.
Episode 3 will be released on Friday, 11 April; Episode 4 on Monday, 14 April; and Episode 5 on Friday, 18 April.
Zainab Mehdi is The New Arab’s Associate Editor and researcher specialising in governance, development, and conflict in the Middle East and North Africa region
Follow her on X: @zaiamehdi
