The war in Gaza has been raging for over a decade. Tensions between Israel and Palestine have reached extreme levels in recent years, leaving little to no safe zone for citizens to seek refuge from the violence.
This harsh reality became frighteningly tangible for CNN senior international correspondent Ben Wedeman and his family when they attempted to flee their home in Gaza City last month.
In an extensive personal account published on August 5, Wedeman narrated his family’s desperate flight and the immense danger they were exposed to in the process.
Beginning in the dark of night, Wedeman, his wife and two sons made their way to Egypt, a journey fraught with danger. “The streets were deserted, eerie in the stifling heat,” Wedeman wrote. “We rolled down our windows in order to be able to hear any approaching fire from tanks, planes or drones.”
The family had to detour through a cemetery to avoid sniper fire, and frequently lent a helping hand to other desperate travelers on their way, such as a young Palestinian family forced to abandon their home. The Wedemans also detailed the perilous “Snipers Alley,” a stretch of road often targeted by Israeli forces.
After almost nine hours of driving, the Wedemans finally reached the Egypt-Israel border and safety.
In his recount of the nightmarish experience, Wedeman paints a hauntingly vivid picture of the reality many Palestinians face in the war-torn area. There is no escape for those living in Gaza; even attempts to flee for safety can ultimately turn out to be fatal, as evidenced by the lives taken during the recent war.
It is a devastating reality that Wedeman himself experienced firsthand and was able to describe in a unique and powerful way. His story serves as a painful reminder of the price citizens in the Gaza Strip are paying for a conflict they had nothing to do with.