The walk seemed endless. It felt like we were not in Gaza any more. Nothing looked recognisable. We were walking in a wasteland with snipers, tanks, and soldiers all around amid the mass destruction.

Since I have a prosthetic knee and I was pregnant, I could not catch up with the rest. I had to stop every hour to rest, which made the journey altogether even harder for me and my children.

When we reached the Israel-erected checkpoint along the route, it beeped as I passed it.

I knew it was because of my prosthetic knee and that’s what I told the soldiers, but they did not care. …