During the war in Gaza, a place called Taqat in Deir al Balah became a lifeline for me.
Taqat, which means “energies” in Arabic, is a workspace with rare reliable internet and electricity — powered by solar panels — that was started amid the chaos of the war for freelancers and students. It offered something that felt almost impossible during those times: productivity and purpose.
I started working there as a manager for software projects, collaborating with others who were just as determined to keep moving forward. It was incredible to see how, even in the hardest conditions, people found ways to stay useful, to keep creating and to hold on to hope. Taqat reminded me that even in the most difficult circumstances, we have the power to build something meaningful.
The idea that life can be more than sheer survival is part of the fragile sense of hope that the recent cease-fire has brought to us in Gaza. After weeks of relentless…
