Well, I suppose engaging in the oppression olympics is part of the necessary for some, so let's get some clarity.
Life in Gaza before October 7, 2023 was hard - but the idea that Gazans lived in uniquely unbearable conditions is a narrative built more on ideological exaggeration than objective fact.
Most people in Gaza lived in concrete homes, not tents. Many areas, especially along the coast, had multi-storey buildings, restaurants, cafés, shopping malls, wedding halls, and even private homes with swimming pools. Yes, poverty existed, but there was no mass homelessness. By contrast, in places like Yemen, Sudan, Syria, and Congo, millions live in makeshift shelters or bombed-out ruins with no infrastructure or clean water. In parts of India and Nigeria, slum conditions are unimaginably worse, with families packed into tin shacks, open sewage, and zero government support.
In terms of hunger, the markets functioned, bakeries operated, restaurants were open, and humanitarian aid came in daily. Meanwhile, in Yemen, over 17 million people face real famine. Children die from hunger every day, often unseen by international media. Sudan and Congo have similar death tolls from starvation and malnutrition, with nowhere near the same global attention. I think something like 500k kids under 5 have starved to death since the war in Sudan started.
Healthcare in Gaza, though limited, included functioning hospitals, doctors, and even a medical school. There were universities, schools, and high literacy rates. Gazans pursued degrees and careers. In Afghanistan and parts of Sudan or Nigeria, millions have no access to even basic healthcare. In Taliban-controlled areas, girls cannot go to school, and women cannot even see a male doctor without a guardian. Gaza’s education system was flawed, but it existed and was used.
Before the war, the number of Palestinians killed annually in conflict was in the low hundreds - a tragic figure, but nothing compared to the bloodbaths in Syria, where over 500,000 have been killed, or Congo, where millions have died in decades-long wars. In Sudan and Yemen, ethnic cleansing and bombing campaigns continue with barely a whisper from those who cry genocide over Gaza.
And yes, Gaza is governed by an oppressive, violent terror group. But the average Gazan could still get married, go to the beach, have a family celebration, attend university, or run a business - things utterly impossible in other places nearby that you have absolutely no interest in.
So yes, life in Gaza was “difficult.” There are also millions of people around the world suffering in far worse conditions, without cameras, hashtags, or protest marches in their name.
In my native Egypt, the reality is bleak for millions. The country has endured decades of economic hardship, corruption, and authoritarian rule. Over 30% of Egyptians live below the poverty line, with entire families surviving on a few dollars a day, often in cramped, crumbling housing with limited access to clean water or reliable electricity.
Political dissent is crushed, with thousands jailed without trial, and torture in detention is widespread. Coptic Christians are attacked frequently, including the burning of churches and killings, which have gone unpunished time and again. Women face daily harassment and are often blamed for it, and many rural girls are still subjected to FGM. Life for the average Egyptian - Muslim or Christian - is shaped by fear, economic struggle, and a sense of voicelessness under an unaccountable regime. Yet you rarely see marches or headlines about any of this.
And I’ll say this plainly: any one of the prisoners in Auschwitz would have chewed off their own arm to live the life of an average Gazan on 5 October 2023. Because Gazans had homes, schools, families, days at the beach, weddings, businesses, and a chance at being alive.
It's a shame you couldn't respond to my post in good faith and listen to what was in it.