In Gaza, Residents Describe Life 'Neither at War Nor at Peace' Three Years On

Three years after the October 7 attacks by Hamas and the Israeli military offensive that followed, residents of Gaza describe an existence that fits neither the description of active war nor of peace, but a prolonged state of hardship marked by disease, loss and ruined surroundings.

Among those whose lives have been upended is Ahmed Ishtaiwi, a 43-year-old driver and mechanic. Six plastic chairs, cheap and battered by use, are now counted among his most valued possessions, a detail that illustrates how dramatically circumstances have changed for many families across the territory.

Accounts gathered from residents describe lives altered beyond recognition compared with how they lived before the attacks and the offensive that followed. The scale of destruction and ongoing hardship has left many grappling with basic needs, as infrastructure, health conditions and living situations remain severely strained.

The anniversary arrives as a marker of just how long the current conditions have persisted for people in Gaza, with those interviewed describing daily struggles that have become a prolonged feature of life rather than a temporary disruption.

The accounts reflect a broader pattern described by residents across the territory: an uneasy, unresolved state in which neither full-scale conflict nor a return to pre-attack normalcy defines daily existence. For many, the markers of ordinary life, such as stable housing, healthcare access, and household basics, have been replaced by improvised arrangements and scarcity that have endured far longer than initially expected.

As the three-year mark passes, the experiences described by residents like Ishtaiwi offer a window into how a population continues to adapt to prolonged disruption, even as questions remain about when or whether conditions might meaningfully change.