Samuel Strong, The 'Lucky' Ones (PEOPLE 2025)

The 'Lucky' Ones explores the lives of Palestinians that have arrived in Australia since the war began. An often overlooked group of people. Although they have been very lucky to escape with their lives, the challenges they face once arriving here and the uncertainty of their future still remain. This is Nahla, an Artist from Gaza and this is her story:- "On the morning of the 7th of October 2023, life seemed perfectly ordinary. I woke up early, as usual, to prepare breakfast for my children, getting them ready for a new school day. The clock struck six, and the calm of the morning embraced our home. Suddenly, the world around us turned upside down. The house shook violently as the terrifying sounds of rockets echoed through the air. My children woke up in terror, their small eyes searching desperately for safety amidst the chaos. From that moment, our normal life came to an abrupt and devastating end. It was the beginning of an unending nightmare. A brutal war had erupted—a war like nothing Gaza had ever seen before. We were forced to flee our beloved home, the place that held our dreams and laughter, leaving it behind under relentless bombardment. We moved south, seeking refuge, but even there, safety was an illusion. There was no shelter to shield us from the biting cold, no food to ease our hunger, and no water to quench our thirst. Every basic necessity was painfully absent, and fear became our constant companion. It felt as though the entire world had abandoned us. Amidst this devastation, my mother and sister, who live abroad, fought tirelessly to rescue us. After countless attempts, we managed to secure a visa to Australia in November. But the journey out of Gaza proved far more challenging than we had anticipated. Months dragged on under the shadow of war, and it wasn’t until March 2024 that we finally managed to leave. We departed our homeland, leaving behind our house, now reduced to rubble. We bid farewell to the streets where we grew up, to every cherished memory, and to everything we once held dear. Even the air of Gaza, despite the anguish, carried a part of our souls. When we arrived in Australia, life felt completely foreign. We had to start over from scratch in a world we knew nothing about. Thankfully, we were met with kindness and support from charities, friends, and relatives. They helped us find a home and provided the basic necessities to begin anew. Yet, despite this new beginning, the pain of the past lingered like a shadow that refused to fade. Today, I am trying to rebuild our lives. I dream of giving my children a safe and promising future, far away from the horrors of war. But how can we forget? How can we move forward without carrying Gaza in our hearts? There, we left everything behind: dreams buried beneath the rubble, schools that once echoed with children’s laughter, and places that bore witness to the happiest moments of our lives. Yes, life goes on, but within us lies a deep sadness that cannot be erased. The war in Gaza did not just destroy our homes; it left an unhealable wound in our souls. We try to live, to smile, to create a better future, but in every moment, we carry Gaza with us—as a wound, as a memory, and as a homeland that will forever reside in our hearts. Perhaps life offers new chances, but memories never fade."

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