Lives Uprooted: Gaza's Displaced Families Cling to Keys and Memories

Hassan Nofal and his family were forced to flee their homes multiple times across Gaza due to Israeli bombardments. Holding onto keys from both his and his grandparents' homes, Nofal symbolizes the struggle and determination of displaced Palestinians striving to return to their homes amidst ongoing conflict.

Hassan Nofal carries keys to two homes on his key chain—one to his grandparents' house in southern Israel, and another to his own house in northern Gaza. The latter is a place he fled amid Israel's ongoing military campaign.

Over nine months, Nofal's family has been uprooted repeatedly across the Gaza Strip, on the run from relentless attacks. Determined not to let his house key become a keepsake, Nofal vows to return home.

Israel's actions in Gaza, prompted by Hamas' October 7 attack, have displaced around 1.9 million Palestinians from their homes. Cramped into a so-called 'humanitarian safe zone,' families face squalid conditions and deadly airstrikes, struggling to find food, water, and medical care.

(With inputs from agencies.)