My little sister, Malak, is so pretty and vivacious, she lights up any room she enters. Add to that her intelligence and drive to get a good education, and you have someone who epitomizes the Palestinian spirit and those for whom the sky is the limit.

In the spring of 2023, Malak finished her high school studies with high marks and set her sights on going to Al-Azhar University in Gaza City to study graphic design in the College of Engineering. She had no trouble being accepted into the program, and by the end of summer she was putting everything together to start the next level of her education.

She went shopping for new clothes to stand out on campus. She got a new laptop to be ready to do the work. I watched her as she stood in front of the mirror getting ready to leave the house for that first day at university, checking her hair, her smile, her makeup. Seeing her filled me with pride and admiration for this young woman at the beginning of a new journey.

Everyone knows how crucial the first year of a student’s life is, particularly the university students themselves. The passion and eagerness to study and make new friends are vital in shaping their experience. However, imagine if a student attends university for only one week, and suddenly their dreams are shattered, making the idea of continuing what they’d just begun seem unattainable.

On October 7, the Hamas surprise attack on Israel changed everything for all of us.

We are a family of four daughters, a mother, and a father. My twin sister, Amal, and I are the oldest. We have a middle sister, Asmaa, who is a year younger than we are, and Malak is two years younger than Asmaa. We live in an apartment in an area that has always been peaceful and safe in Gaza City, and our lives have always been filled with fun, delight in each other, optimism, and a deep love of life in general.

We constantly support each other, and we three older sisters have lavished our love on Malak, to foster her talents and elevate her to become a highly accomplished young woman. Each one of us wants to be the best person she can be, vibrant, beautiful, and enthusiastic. We think that being useless is super boring.

All of us were going to Al-Azhar. My twin sister Amal and I were studying English language and translation. Asmaa was studying business administration and also has a special love for science. She adores attaining new achievements, attends lectures on subjects that interest her, and studies diligently. She participated in numerous training courses to expand her knowledge in her field of study. Malak, just beginning her graphic design studies, was also playing oud at the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music in Gaza City.

At the end of that first week of classes last year, we all met up at a café we love, to talk about what we’d enjoyed, share stories about events or people that amused us, and glory in the joy of all being university students. It had long been my dream that we would grow up like this, all together taking in life to the fullest measure. Malak said that day how satisfied she was about her university life, and expressed her determination to maintain the same level of excitement and passion each of her sisters has in learning.

That Thursday evening, Malak and I went to a program at the conservatory. As we headed home afterwards, we noticed the coolness of the October air and felt the comforting onset of fall, the time of year everyone in our family loves. We were both completely content with life.

The next day, on Friday, we all spent the evening at home, relaxing, playing music, snacking — just enjoying each other’s company as we always do. Malak prepared for bed that night anticipating the next morning’s resumption of life as a university student.

But the next morning, on Saturday, October 7, instead of waking to the sound of the alarm she had set, Malak and all of us were startled out of sleep by the horrendous sound of bombs exploding in the distance.

At first, Malak thought she’d miss only a week of university. However, as that week passed, we were forced to evacuate our home, and that was just the beginning of the upheaval. In the next month, our hopes of returning to our home — and to our university — were totally dashed. Al-Azhar University, our home, and even the music conservatory, were all burned and reduced to rubble by the Israeli occupation. Our family was displaced again and again; we were always searching for safety and never sure we’d found it.

By the end of November, everything that Malak had dreamed of had turned into a nightmare. When I looked at the eyes of my little sister, I saw they were filled with depression, doubt, and discouragement. Life had become tedious and tiresome. Nothing made sense. There was no order. Though she tried to find a reason for hope, the hours and days were heavy and slow. Malak and all of us were on the verge of despair.

Suddenly, in May, although nothing had changed and the Israeli military’s actions were getting worse, Malak decided she would not give in to the loss of her university career and began searching for opportunities to study outside the Gaza Strip. She identified some universities abroad and set herself to handling all the required paperwork.

Sadly, that same month, Israel occupied Rafah and closed the Rafah crossing into Egypt, the only outlet for Gaza Strip residents for 18 years, since Israel’s occupation led to the destruction of Gaza International Airport and prevented its reconstruction. No one inside Gaza was going anywhere.

It’s extremely tough living in a war zone, feeling trapped — like you’re in a prison. Despite all that, Malak has held onto hope, believing that the occupation will eventually withdraw from the Rafah crossing and from Gaza. And even as the Israeli military still bombs the Strip every day and deprivation persists, when there is little food and death looms intolerably close, Malak’s optimism has remained strong. She continues to envision a bright future for herself and for all of us. She sees herself at a fantastic university somewhere, studying to prepare herself for a role in the recovery of our country and our people.