I survived the genocide in Gaza, but still carry its scars within me Submitted by Ahmed Abu Artema on Mon, 06/08/2026 - 08:27 Nine months into exile, the smallest things including a full battery, a passing plane or a plate of leftover rice show how deeply the genocide is lodged in the body Palestinians gather at the Rafah crossing as it reopens for the first time since the US-Israel war with Iran began, in Khan Younis, on 19 March 2026 (Bashar Taleb/AFP) Off The harsh experiences that groups and individuals go through affect the subconscious in ways that may extend across generations. A Dutch woman told me that her elderly mother still stores large quantities of food because she experienced famine during World War Two in the winter of 1944. My body left Gaza nine months ago, which is theoretically enough time for new feelings to be born.