For the first time after two years of conflict, people in Gaza are watching war unfold in the region without being directly in the middle of it. Yet their distance from the US and Israeli attack on Iran has not eased their anxiety. Instead, it has revived a deep fear that the Palestinian enclave could once again be pulled back into another devastating conflict.
After more than two years of war that left tens of thousands dead and much of Gaza destroyed, residents say they have already endured enough and hope the latest regional escalation will pass without reaching them.
The situation in Gaza remains uncertain, with a fragile ceasefire in place since early October but limited progress towards a full Israeli military withdrawal under US President Donald Trump's peace plan.
Ola Mohammed, 35, who lives in Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, says her main concern now is what the future holds for the Palestinian territory.
“After what happened to us in Gaza, I don’t care about any other conflict happening around us,” she told The National.
Ms Mohammed has lost her home three times during previous wars, and several members of her family remain missing, with no information about their fate.
“If this war brings fighting back to Gaza again, what can we do?” she said. “It feels like there is a plan that must be completed: they [Israel] want to force us to leave and impose a military authority over Gaza.”
More than anything, she fears reliving the suffering her family endured during the war, particularly the famine that affected many families.
“I just hope time can pause for a while and give us some relief,” she said. “Our life is not perfect, but at least we want to live without the fear of losing someone we love again, or losing ourselves.”
Political analyst Mohammed Yaseen says Gaza cannot escape the consequences of regional conflicts, even when it is not directly involved.
“Gaza is part of the Middle East and is inevitably affected by the region’s developments,” he told The National. “The results of the current war will have significant repercussions for the Palestinian issue, including the situation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.”
He warned that a shift in the regional balance of power could lead to tighter Israeli control and restrictions on Palestinians.
Already, he noted, the impact of the current conflict has been felt in Gaza. Israeli authorities recently closed the crossings into the enclave for several days, preventing the entry of aid, food and commercial goods needed by Gaza’s population. Although the crossings have partially reopened, only a limited number of aid lorries have been allowed to enter.
“This has direct consequences for the daily lives of people in Gaza,” Mr Yaseen said.
At the same time, he said Israel’s attention to other regional fronts, particularly the attacks on Iran and a renewed offensive in Lebanon, has slightly reduced the military pressure on Gaza, with a noticeable decrease in Israeli strikes and ceasefire violations.
Mr Yaseen believes it is unlikely that Gaza will become directly involved in the current war.
“The Palestinian resistance has endured more than two years of confrontation and needs time to recover and reorganise,” he said. “Gaza itself is exhausted after the destruction that affected every aspect of life in the Strip.”
Still, many residents say the fear of another escalation remains deeply rooted.
Mohammed Mikdad, 45, who lives in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, said the news of war in the region immediately sparked panic among residents.
“Of course there is a very big and unusual level of fear,” he told The National. “Unfortunately, we have become used to Gaza being dragged into every kind of war.”
When reports first emerged that Israel had attacked Iran, many families rushed to prepare for the worst.
“As soon as we heard the news, we automatically started buying food and basic supplies,” Mr Mikdad said. “We did it out of fear that the days of war and famine might return.”
He said Gazans feel they have already paid a heavy price and cannot endure another conflict.
“We do not want to participate or have any part in this war,” he said. “What we went through was extremely difficult, and it is impossible to live through it again.”
Mr Mikdad added that many residents believe Gaza could still be affected, regardless of whether it is directly involved.
“Israel always directs its anger towards Gaza,” he said. “It does not need any justification to start a war here.”
Still, he hopes this time will be different.
“We hope that, for the first time, we can remain spectators,” he said.
For others in Gaza, the conflict has revived fears for loved ones living abroad.
Fatma Khader, 70, from Gaza city, has been closely following the news because her daughter and sister live in the United Arab Emirates, one of the countries recently targeted by Iranian missiles.
“I don’t want anyone to go through what we lived and suffered during the war, especially the people I care about,” she told The National.
She says she checks on them constantly and tries to reassure them despite her own fears.
“My daughter feels worried, and I try to comfort her by giving her advice to follow and prayers to read,” she said.
The experience has given her a new perspective.
“During the war in Gaza, all my loved ones were around me, so I felt some relief because I could reach them,” she said. “But now my daughter is far away, and I finally understand how she must have felt when she was worrying about us during the war.”
