OCHA / GAZA ONE YEAR OF SUFFERING

Ahmed Abu Aita lost most of his relatives and his family-run business following an airstrike on 20 October 2023. Almost a year on, he reflects on his loss and hopes for the future. OCHA
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00:15:00
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Subject Topical
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MAMS Id
3268352
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3268352
Alternate Title
unifeed241004h
Description

STORY: OCHA / GAZA ONE YEAR OF SUFFERING
TRT: 15:00
SOURCE: OCHA
RESTRICTIONS: PLEASE CREDIT OCHA FOOTAGE ON SCREEN
LANGUAGES: ARABIC / ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 25 SEPTEMBER 2024 - JABALIA REFUGEE CAMP, NORTHERN GAZA STRIP / EAST OF JABALIA CAMP

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Shotlist

1. Various shots, Beit Lahia New School, affiliated with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), which has been transformed into a shelter.
2. Med Shot, Ahmed Abu Aita walking in front of school
3. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ahmed Abu Aita:
“Before the war, we had a company (Jamal Al-Din Abu Aita Dairy and Cheese Company). Our lives were going well before the war. We all worked in the family factory, each with his own role. For instance, I was the company's marketing manager.”
4. Various shots, Beit Lahia New School, affiliated with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), which has been transformed into a shelter.
5. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ahmed Abu Aita:
“The company employed about 50 workers, they earned livelihoods for their children through this work, until the war started, and everything changed. After living in a 250-square-meter apartment, now around 12 persons including me and who is left from the family, live in a classroom as you see.”
6. Various shots, Mr. Ahmed Abu Aita and his nephew in front of Beit Lahia New School, affiliated with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), which has been transformed into a shelter.
7. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ahmed Abu Aita:
“We face difficulties in everything. To get filtered water, we stand in lines under the sun just to fill two gallons of water. We also struggle to gather wood to light a fire.”
8. Various shots, Ahmed Abu Aita (Arabic) inside the Beit Lahia New School where he is now living with his nephew.”
9. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ahmed Abu Aita:
“I wish life could go back to the way it was before the war. I hope, even though it's impossible, that my family members who were martyred to come back, my wife and my son. I hope I can see my injured son who is currently in Qatar (receiving treatment), I am unable to see him now. I wish life could go back to how it was before the war.”
10. Various shots, showing someone playing chess with his nephew.
11. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ahmed Abu Aita:
“Thank God, like other people, we receive assistance from UNRWA.”
12. Various shots, from inside the classroom where Ahmed lives, showing boxes of aid he received from the United Nations.
13. Various shots, from Salah al-Din Street, east of Jabalia camp, showing the extent of destruction in residential homes and commercial establishments.
14. Various shots, showing Ahmed and his nephew inspecting the damage caused by the bombing of their home and the family's company headquarters.
15. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ahmed Abu Aita:
“That day is unforgettable for me personally. This is our house.”
16. Various shots, showing Ahmed and his nephew inspecting the damage
17. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ahmed Abu Aita:
“We slept and I woke up to find myself lying in our neighbor’s house. Of course I did not feel anything except that I was at my neighbor's house with some rubble over me.”
18. SOUNDBITE (English) Jonathan Whittall, Senior Humanitarian Officer, Gaza, OCHA:
“It's been a year of destruction, displacement and desperation in Gaza. All of Gaza has been destroyed. It's impossible to describe the devastation that has been unleashed on Gaza. Almost all Gazans have been displaced. They've been pushed into just 13% of the total area of the Gaza Strip and all of Gaza needs humanitarian assistance to survive. There's not enough safe water. The health system has collapsed. There's insufficient shelter, and there's not enough food for us to prevent a possible famine. And yet, every single day, we're obstructed from doing our work to deliver humanitarian assistance.”
19. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ahmed Abu Aita:
“The remains of the martyrs and the bodies were lying on the ground in front of me.”
20. Various shots, Ahmed and his nephew inspecting the damage
21. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ahmed Abu Aita:
“I was in this area; on the stairs. I was shouting and calling for help, hoping someone would hear me, but no one did because at that time this area was a dangerous border zone, and civil defense and ambulance vehicles couldn’t reach the area. I remained lying there for two days, no one could reach me, until one of the neighbors, by chance, came to check the place and heard my call.”
22. SOUNDBITE (English) Jonathan Whittall, Senior Humanitarian Officer, Gaza, OCHA:
“For many Gazans, they feel like everyone has been put on death row as a result of what happened on the 7th of October. Either they've been killed by bombs and bullets, or they're being slowly suffocated by the lack of means to survive. It seems that the only distinction being made is at the speed at which you die, what Gaza needs is for civilians to be protected, for humanitarian aid to be facilitated, and for a ceasefire to come into effect for Gaza, for the region and for our collective humanity.”
23. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ahmed Abu Aita:
“Of course it was one of the most difficult days. Those two days were among the hardest days of my life because of the fear and horror.”
24. Pan shot, destroyed Ahmed Abu Aita’s home and family's company headquarters.
25. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ahmed Abu Aita:
“There were 37 members of my family—my father, mother, brothers, their wives, and children. The house was also sheltering displaced people from my wife’s family, who were also martyred.”
26. Various shots, destroyed Ahmed Abu Aita’s home and family's company headquarters.
27. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ahmed Abu Aita:
“In total, 45 people, some of them are still under the rubble of the house till this moment, nearly ten months later.”
28. Wide Shot, destroyed Ahmed Abu Aita’s home and family's company headquarters.
29. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ahmed Abu Aita:
“The pain of losing my family, my son, and my wife is indescribable.”
30. Pan left, Ahmed Abu Aita’s destroyed home
31. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ahmed Abu Aita:
“It requires a lot of effort. God willing, we are planning to reopen the factory, stand again on our feet and keep my father’s name alive, for the company to come back as it was and rehire the workers and employees. And for life to come back because we won’t give up no matter what the occupation imposes on us and destroys, we’ll rebuild. God willing, we’ll come back stronger.”
32. Various shots, detail of destruction
33. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ahmed Abu Aita:
“I hope life returns to how it was before, and even better. And to see my son. I hope the war would end and I would be able to see my injured son who is in Qatar. I hope we get back on our feet and return to our old, ordinary lives.”
34. FILE SHOTS, operations at Ahmed’s Abu Aita family factory prior to the conflict
35. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ahmed Abu Aita:
“We had about 50 workers, male and female of course.”
36. Various shots, operations at Ahmed’s Abu Aita family factory prior to the conflict

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Storyline

Ahmed Abu Aita lost most of his relatives and his family-run business following an airstrike on 20 October 2023.

Almost a year on, he reflects on his loss and hopes for the future.

According to an OCHA senior humanitarian officer, many Palestinians in Gaza feel as if "everyone has been put on death row" following the attacks of October 7th 2023.

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