Gaza Man Recounts Lifetime of Displacement

Why this is here: Abdel Mahdi recalls carrying livestock and supplies for days while fleeing Bir al-Saba in 1948, never imagining the exile would be permanent.

In Jabalia, Gaza, 85-year-old Abdel Mahdi al-Wuheidi reflects on displacement stemming from the 1948 Nakba and the recent war. He lives with his wife, Aziza, and the families of his late brother’s sons in a partially destroyed home. Born in Bir al-Saba, Abdel Mahdi remembers leaving with his family in 1948, hoping to return to their land, a return that never materialized.

He spent years working in Israel to rebuild a life, only to see it destroyed again by the current conflict. Abdel Mahdi describes multiple displacements during the recent war, including sheltering in a UN school before being forced to evacuate under fire. He acknowledges past hardships but insists the current destruction surpasses anything he has previously witnessed.

Despite enduring a second “Nakba” late in life, Abdel Mahdi refuses to leave his homeland, stating he would rather die in Gaza than accept a life elsewhere. The ongoing conflict and lack of international support leave him with little hope for improvement, but his connection to the land remains unwavering.