In Gaza, water day isn’t just any day…

It’s a day we wait for all week long,

Living every moment on edge.

Water comes only once a week, and for just a few hours,

Sometimes it’s late, and sometimes it doesn’t come at all.

Before the sun rises, we’re already awake,

By 6 a.m. everyone is ready,

Because it can come at any moment, and it can stop suddenly.

The moment we hear the sound of water, it feels like the whole world wakes up,

Everyone rushes down, big and small,

We fill the containers, carry them to the rooftop,

Trying to fill the tanks before the water cuts off.

Even though I’m a girl, I help my brothers carry the containers,

Not because anyone asked me,

But because I want to share the responsibility,

Lighten their burden, and stand by them.

Once, after carrying water for a while,

I felt a sharp pain in my back,

And I felt sad for myself…

A girl my age should live a normal life,

Go out, come back, laugh, and play,

But I thank Allah for everything.

The hardest moment?

When water day comes and no water shows up!

Imagine preparing yourself and hoping, only to end up with nothing.

Once, we went two weeks without water,

We had to get some from neighbors, but it wasn’t enough,

And every time something like this happens,

I miss our life before the war… simpler, calmer, and more peaceful.

Water has become so precious,

Every drop counts,

We wash dishes with one basin,

Reuse washing water,

Shower carefully, and count every liter.

But with all this pressure…

When we hear the sound of water flowing from the tap?

It really feels like the soul returns to the body.

I can’t fully describe this feeling,

But a small joy enters the heart, making us forget the exhaustion.

We live on hope,

We endure…

And we all say from our hearts:

“Alhamdulillah, we’re alive, and we’re trying to carry on.”

In conclusion,

Despite all the hardship and deprivation, we in Gaza never lose hope.

We live each day with patience and determination,

Proving to the world that we exist, living, resisting, and loving life.

Water, no matter how little, teaches us the value of patience,

Reminding us that life, even in the toughest conditions,

Does not stop, and dignity never dies.

Insha’Allah, the day will come when we live in freedom,

Drink water without interruption, laugh without fear,

And live our lives like everyone else, in peace and safety.