WAVES OF INSPIRATION DESPITE GENOCIDE –CASES FROM YOUTH AND CHILDREN OF GAZA

Abstract

This study explores the creative and proactive problem-solving behaviours of the youth and children of Gaza during the 2023/2024 genocidal and war zone challenges. Following Israel's decision to cut off essential supplies such as food, water, and electricity to the Gaza Strip and the subsequent destruction of civilian infrastructure, the already dire living conditions worsened significantly. With extreme poverty and food insecurity affecting more than 80% of Gaza's population, residents—particularly youth—have demonstrated remarkable resilience in addressing the challenges of displacement, scarcity, and violence.

Drawing from semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions with 74 displaced individuals from various camps in Gaza, this research investigates how young Gazans use creative solutions to navigate the devastating conditions. The study identifies key cases of innovative responses, such as using alternative energy sources, creative income-generation activities, and establishing educational initiatives.

By analyzing these cases, the research highlights the role of inspiration and creativity as a survival mechanism and a source of resilience in times of conflict. The findings contribute to the broader understanding of how individuals in conflict zones adapt to severe environmental, economic, and social limitations through waves of inspirations that even raise their ingenuity. This study underscores the enduring human capacity for inspiration and creativity in the face of extreme adversity and examines how it fosters both individual and collective resilience in Gaza.