BY MOHAMED CHEBARO


More than eight months into Israel’s war on Gaza, following the October 7th attack by Hamas, and the Arab and international mediation, backed by the US, has so far failed to bring about a lasting ceasefire agreement. Hamas says any deal must bring an end to the war, which could be a way for it to claim victory, as it would not have been eradicated. Israel, on the other hand, is only ready to agree to temporary pauses in the fighting, while freeing some Palestinian prisoners in exchange for hostages. It will not sign up to a total cessation of hostilities as it believes Hamas is weakened but not yet finished, meaning Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his ultra-right government would not have achieved their key goal.

Peace, which the Palestinian people have been waiting for, is therefore likely to remain elusive in a year dominated by electoral calculations across many parts of the world and amid continued discord between the big powers. The global powers are divided over many geostrategic issues that stretch from the Gaza and Ukraine wars and many conflicts in Africa to nuclear North Korea and Iran, trade, the environment and even technology regulations.

This is why Gazans are feeling that the chances for peace are receding, while their living conditions in tents are becoming more permanent. The trickle of aid entering the Strip for the 2.4 million Palestinians remains at the mercy of Israel and its intermittent closures of land crossings. And while the Strip teeters on the brink of lawlessness, disorder and famine, with disease rife and infrastructure lacking, testimonies from Gaza inhabitants point to a common fear: that the abnormal could become the normal as their collective punishment drags on.

Gazans are feeling that the chances for peace are receding, while their living conditions are becoming more permanent

Anyone following the situation in Gaza in recent months is surely feeling worn out by the daily grind of bad news about military confrontations, reprisal attacks and casualties, as well as the colossal infrastructure destruction and the razing of homes, farms, industrial plants, schools and hospitals. Gaza has also become the deadliest conflict for journalists in recent history, despite Israel denying any foreign reporters entry to the Strip. The US-based Committee to Protect Journalists reports at least 103 Palestinian journalists killed so far. Other sources suggest that the number is even higher.

An investigation by The Guardian published this week suggests that, amid a loosening of the interpretation of the laws of war since the deadly Hamas-led attacks on Oct. 7, Israel has deliberately sought to silence critical reporting. This investigation identified at least 23 individuals killed since Oct. 7 who worked for the largest Hamas-run media network in Gaza.

However, the abundance of reports that recount the scale of Gaza’s suffering have ceased to have an impact, while the numbers of victims have also ceased to shock, despite their importance and regardless of which side of the conflict one is on. Save the Children, a UK-based aid group, claimed in a report published this week that 21,000 Palestinian children are missing in Gaza, believed to be trapped beneath the rubble, buried in unmarked graves, harmed beyond recognition by explosives or lost in the chaos of the conflict.

Also this week, the UN has warned that the conflict and the increasing desperation among Gazans is causing civil order to collapse, making aid delivery even harder. In his report to UNRWA’s advisory body, Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini warned that the breakdown of civil order in Gaza had allowed widespread looting and smuggling and blocked aid deliveries, leaving “children dying of malnutrition and dehydration, while food and clean water wait in trucks.” All that has occurred while Israel is still effectively refusing or obstructing the free flow of sufficient humanitarian aid into Gaza, despite all the Arab and international outcry.

UNICEF reported recently that a third of children in northern Gaza are acutely malnourished or suffering from wasting, citing data from its partners on the ground. Meanwhile, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, a global partnership that measures food insecurity, has listed the 2.4 million Gazans among the nearly 166 million people worldwide estimated to need urgent action against hunger.

One can still sense a basic hope and a basic will to persevere as human beings and to dare to hold on to life

Mohamed Chebaro
All the data and surveys, however, fail to convey the full picture of what is happening to the individual Palestinians coping, or rather failing to cope, with this tragedy that has been unfolding for nearly nine months, with no end in sight. The testimonies collected by brave citizen journalists, activists and media outlets creates a more shocking picture and a less abstract one about what has happened to the Palestinian soul and the crushing impact of the conflict on the everyday life of civilians living in Gaza.

Amid the dust of battles surrounding them, many in Gaza — as in many other conflict zones I have reported on in my years as a journalist — wake up after a sleepless night and it is imperative for them to find water and wood to cook whatever meager canned food is offered to them, as well as find bread. If they are lucky, they can wash, but forget about a fresh set of clothes or a hot shower.

Some of the testimonies scattered around social media offer a crueler view of what Palestinians feel as they wait, week after week, for the end of the violence and a chance to return to their damaged or destroyed homes. But from within this unparalleled state of despair, one can still sense a basic hope and a basic will to persevere as human beings and to dare to hold on to life, through yearning and even dreaming.

However small and benign this dream is, it shows a will to live that the war machine has failed to destroy — and that is through expressing attachment to their homeland, the simple life of Gaza and what it offers them even during its darkest days. All no doubt yearn to return home. They yearn for clean water to wash their face, a hot shower, a set of clean clothes, a bed, a wall to replace the piece of cloth separating them from the next displaced family, and a deep sleep that shuts out the anxieties and traumas, even if only for an hour. They yearn to reunite with families and friends and to say sorry to lost loved ones for not giving them the burial and funeral they deserved. They yearn to even have a piece of paper and a pen to write, draw or record their life on the edge of the abyss.

It is that will to live that is likely to rise above all the despair and suffering. Those small dreams demonstrate a deeply rooted hope in humanity, meaning that the long-term inhabitants of Gaza are unlikely to give up and accept that the abnormality of war and violence has become normal, however late that ceasefire comes.

Chebaro is a British-Lebanese journalist with more than 25 years of experience covering war, terrorism, defense, current affairs and diplomacy. He is also a media consultant and trainer.

By Sani Surajo Abubakar

A rainy season (also known as a wet season) is a time of the year where the majority of a country’s or region’s annual precipitation occurs. Rainfall is experienced throughout the year in Nigeria, with most significant rainfall occurring from April to October, and with minimal rainfall occurring November to March.

As predicted by the NiMet (Nigerian Meteorological Agency), this year’s raining season has set in expectation of heavy downpour and flooding in some communities spread across the country especially those in the coastal areas.

The NiMet’s 2024 rainfall prediction indicated that the rainfall is expected to begin in the first week of April, and end in the first week of December. It is also predicted the delay of rainfall in some parts of the country, especially in the North – Central states. However, other parts of the country are likely to observe normal to above normal annual rainfall amount.

In normal circumstances, the rainy Season in the northern Nigeria if not for the effects of weather and climate Change, do set in early June and ceased to stop towards the middle or end of October or in the first week of November as the case may be.

The coming of the rainy season brings succor and reduce the ssw certain health risks for people to be cautious of to enjoy the period and tap from its enormous benefits.

One of the health risks that the rainy season comes with is food and water contamination. Watching food and water to use during the season is very crucial as food and other factors may have contaminated the water or food to use.

Careless handling and improper storage of food and water can lead to contamination and brought about illnesses capable of disastrous consequences.

To avert food and water contamination, people need to maintain proper hygiene practices such as washing hands before handling food, thoroughly cooking food, storing perishable items appropriately and always consume freshly cooked food and avoid eating loosely during the period.

Secondly, rainy season often increases mosquito population. As it the period that mosquito breeds due to the availability of stagnant water and conducive atmosphere for breeding. The higher the rate of mosquito breeding, the higher the heightening the risk of mosquito-related diseases such as malaria, Zika virus, and dengue fever among others.

For people to protect themselves, they need to eliminate stagnant water around their residences, use mosquito repellants, wear long sleeves dresses especially at night, sleep under mosquito nets. Additionally, people should consider using screens or mosquito nets on windows and doors to prevent mosquito entry.

Waterborne illnesses are caused by recreational or drinking water contaminated by diseases or can be acquired by consuming contaminated food or beverages from contact with animals or their environment, or through person-to-person spread.

During the rainy season, water sources can get contaminated, increasing the risk of waterborne diseases such as Cholera, typhoid, and so on. These diseases are transmitted through contaminated water or contact with infected surfaces.

It is pertinent in reducing the risks to drink safe, purified water, maintain good personal hygiene and avoid playing or working in floodwaters.

Furthermore, on the health risks that accompanied rainy season is the possibility of increasing respiratory infections, including common cold, flu and respiratory allergies and can trigger conditions like sickle cell anemia if care is not taken.

The state of being between dry and wet (damp) environment promotes the growth of mould, fungi and allergies which at long run exacerbate respiratory and other related conditions.

To totally overcome or minimize the risk of developing the said infections and other medical conditions, people should maintain good hygiene practices, avoid crowed places if possible, keep living spaces well ventilated and free from dampness.

Slip and fall accidents also do accompanied the rainy season. This is happening in wet and slippery surfaces and accounting to higher percentage of injuries like sprains, dislocations, fractures, head trauma and other diseases witness in such period.

To reduce the possibility of having slip and fall accidents, people should wear appropriate footwear with good traction, use hand rails when available, and walk cautiously on wet surfaces. It is advisable further to keep living and work space areas well-lit and clear of potential hazards and not to step or stroll in flood water, no matter how small.

Another risk that occurred in the rainy season is flooding. The floods due occur when water overflows from the normal boundaries of a stream, river or other body of water, or accumulates in an area that is usually dry. The floods usually come with devastating effects as it renders many people homeless, loss of property and to some extent lives.

To avoid occurrence of flooding, waterways must be cleared and people should desist from erecting structures on waterways and channels for safety and comfortability of habitation at residences, markets, places of worship, public buildings among others.

Also, drainages should be desilted, cleared and authority concerned must ensure evacuation of refuse and enforce stiffer penalties on recalcitrant who dump refuse in drainages and water ways. 

Despite the risks of the rainy season and the ways to avoid them stated above, and with total and unrelented commitment of all the stakeholders, people can enjoy hitches free rainy season and maximally benefitted from enormous bounties, bumper harvest and blessing the season do brought.

Sani Surajo is an Assistant Information Officer, Government House, Kano