The Resilience of Palestinians During the Gaza Conflict and the Paris Olympics

The Resilience of Palestinians Amidst the War

Displaced three times due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, Mariam Moeen Awwad recently returned to her family’s home in Jabaliya. Despite the overwhelming damage and destruction surrounding her, she clings to the hope of establishing a semblance of routine for the next two weeks. Without a television, Ms. Awwad, 23, plans to rely on her father’s phone to stream updates about the Palestinians competing in the Paris Olympics. She expressed a strong desire to feel connected to the athletes and the spirit of the Games, which seem distant yet significant.

While she harbors a wish for the Palestinian team to excel, she also grapples with the heavy emotions weighing on her. “My feelings are numb toward everything because of what we are witnessing and experiencing,” she shared candidly. The wartime Olympics resonate profoundly with Palestinians, many of whom are enduring their tenth month of relentless death and destruction in Gaza. The eight Palestinian athletes symbolize not just a homeland but a fervent cause, serving as a means to amplify their voices and concerns to the global community.

For countless Gazans, preoccupied with the heart-wrenching losses of loved ones, homes, and livelihoods, the grim realities of life overshadow any excitement that the Games might bring. Even for those who wish to stay informed about sports and cultural events, a severe scarcity of electricity has rendered it nearly impossible to keep up with developments in the outside world.

Yasser Shaaban Abdullah Mhana, a legal adviser at the Palestinian Authority’s Ministry of Communications, elaborated on the dire situation, noting that many people in northern Gaza lack access to television and other media platforms. This limitation further exacerbates the challenges they face in staying informed, leaving them isolated from the unfolding events that the international community is witnessing.