International

“We just want to live”, Gaza children cry out

Published

9 months ago

June 1, 2025

“We just want to live”, Gaza children cry out

In the battered Tel al-Hawa neighborhood, west of Gaza City, childhood remnants lie beneath a makeshift tent’s torn fabric.

Fourteen-year-old Kamal Mahdi sits hunched on damp blankets, his thin frame swallowed by the ruins around him. His eyes wide, hollow — trace the shattered street ahead, scanning the rubble as if searching for a version of his past life that no longer exists. He wraps his arms around his knees, his voice barely more discernible than a whisper.

“Before the war, life was simple,” Mahdy told Xinhua. “I woke up early, put on my uniform, and rushed to school. Afterwards, I’d play football in the alley with friends. On weekends or holidays, we’d gather around my grandfather …

“He had stories about the Nakba, about how our people were forced from their homes in 1948.”

He paused, his voice cracking. “I used to think those were just stories from the past. But now … I live it. I know what it means to lose your home, to run with only what you can carry. I know what it’s like to fall asleep to the sound of bombs and wake up to nothing but dust,” he lamented.

The future he once imagined — one filled with dreams and laughter — shattered in October 2023, when an Israeli missile struck his neighborhood.

“We fled many times,” Mahdi recalled, his chapped hands rubbing together. “Each time, we left something behind. A photo album, a toy, my school notebooks … even my grandfather’s grave. We couldn’t even say goodbye.”

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Next to him sat his 12-year-old cousin Camelia, curled up on a plastic mat, her fingers tightly clutching a worn-out school bag.

“I loved school,” she murmured, her voice trembling. “I loved the smell of new books and how proud I felt wearing my uniform. My teacher used to say I had a beautiful voice for reading. I used to dream of becoming a teacher too.”

Camelia dragged the back of her hand across her cheeks, smearing dust with tears as she stared at the sky — once a cradle of stars, now shredded by smoke and the skeletal remains of buildings.

“Now, even the wind frightens me,” she said. “Sometimes when it howls, I think it’s a plane. I cover my ears and wait for the sound of an explosion. We used to play hopscotch and hide-and-seek … now we hide for real, but there’s nowhere safe to hide.”

Kamal placed a protective arm around his younger cousin, his face a mixture of grief and resolve.

“We are just children,” he said. “But we are made old by this war. Every day, we lose a piece of who we were.”

For Gaza’s children, the war has upended daily life, replacing classrooms with shelters and laughter with fear. “We are just children,” Kamal said. “But the war has made us old.”

Kamal watches over Camelia as she dozes off beside him. “We don’t want much,” he said. “Just peace. Just to live.”

Figures from the Gaza-based health authorities last month showed that about 16,500 children have been killed since the conflict escalated on Oct. 7, 2023. Many others suffered amputations, burns and psychological trauma.

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In al-Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip, nine-year-old Issa Ahmed lives in a tent on the rubble of his home. Months ago, an airstrike took both his arms. Once a joyful child who loved drawing and football, he now depends on his mother for every task.

“He used to cover our walls with drawings of birds and the sea,” his mother Sarah said. “Now, he can’t even wipe his tears.”

“I dream I have arms again,” Ahmed said. “I run to my mother and she holds me. But when I wake up, I remember what happened.”

His mother, who lost her husband in the same airstrike, struggles to care for Ahmed and his siblings. “He asks if his arms will grow back. I don’t know how to answer. I just tell him he’s strong,” she told Xinhua.

With no access to prosthetics or psychological care, the family survives on aid and support from neighbors. But recovery, especially for children like Ahmed, remains distant.

Ten-year-old Lujain Shehada, living in a temporary shelter in Deir al-Balah, also in central Gaza Strip, queues daily for water with her mother. “We sleep on the ground,” she said. “My back hurts. My feet are cold. I miss my bed and my school.”

Children now face not only displacement and injury but also the collapse of Gaza’s education system. Palestinian Education Minister Amjad Barham told Xinhua that over 95 percent of schools in Gaza are now closed.

“Some alternative learning exists, but with no electricity or safety, most children can’t study,” he said. “They are lost between fear and confusion. Psychological care is just as essential as food.”

According to children’s advocacy groups, the conflict has sparked a mental health crisis among Gaza’s youth. Symptoms include depression, anxiety, sleep disorders and mutism. Some children write their names on their hands in fear of dying unidentified.

“The trauma here is profound,” said Rawan Ghayada, a Gaza-based psychologist. “Children suffer from chronic stress, PTSD and social withdrawal. Some have stopped speaking altogether. Others scream in their sleep.”

“These children want what any child wants — to feel safe, to go to school, to play. But they’ve been robbed of that chance,” she said.

“We just want to live”, Gaza children cry out

Related Topics:children Gaza Hamas-Israel

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International

Trump Imposes 15% Global Tariff Hours After Supreme Court Blocks Previous Tariffs

Published

3 hours ago

February 22, 2026

Trends Admin

US President Donald Trump

Trump Imposes 15% Global Tariff Hours After Supreme Court Blocks Previous Tariffs

President Donald Trump has announced a 15 % global tariff on imported goods just hours after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down his earlier tariff programme as unconstitutional. The decision marks a major escalation in U.S. trade policy and signals potential disruptions for global markets.

The Supreme Court, in a 6‑3 ruling, found that Trump overstepped his authority by using emergency powers under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose sweeping tariffs. The Court ruled that only Congress has the power to levy broad import taxes, effectively invalidating the president’s previous tariffs on most trading partners.

In response, Trump moved swiftly to raise tariffs under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, which allows temporary import duties of up to 15 % for 150 days without congressional approval. Trump described the increase as “fully allowed and legally tested” and indicated his administration will explore additional legally permissible tariffs in the coming months.

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Official statements confirmed that the new tariff takes immediate effect, covering imports from all countries. The White House framed the move as a measure to protect U.S. workers and industries from unfair foreign competition, even as analysts warn it could increase costs for consumers and invite retaliatory trade measures from other nations.

Economic and Political Reactions

The Supreme Court decision and Trump’s rapid tariff escalation drew mixed reactions. Business groups and economists cautioned that higher tariffs could disrupt supply chains, increase inflation, and slow economic growth. Some companies have already filed legal claims seeking refunds for previously collected tariffs.

Meanwhile, global trading partners are monitoring the situation closely, warning that the 15 % tariff could strain diplomatic and trade relations. Supporters of Trump’s trade stance argue that tougher tariffs are necessary to address U.S. trade deficits and protect domestic manufacturing.

Section 122 authority expires after 150 days unless Congress extends it, meaning the long-term enforcement of the 15 % tariff may require legislative backing. Analysts say the move highlights the tension between executive authority, judicial oversight, and congressional power in U.S. economic policymaking.

Global Implications

Markets around the world have reacted cautiously to the announcement. Some trading partners may implement retaliatory tariffs, while global supply chains could face disruptions, particularly in consumer electronics, automotive, and industrial sectors. Analysts predict that ongoing uncertainty will affect trade flows and investment decisions in the short term.

Trump’s announcement comes at a politically charged moment, with midterm elections and international trade negotiations influencing domestic and global economic strategies. The move underscores the complex interplay of law, politics, and economics in U.S. trade policy.

Trump Imposes 15% Global Tariff Hours After Supreme Court Blocks Previous Tariffs

International

UK Court Hands Life Sentence to Nigerian Teen for Knife Attack Killing

Published

2 days ago

February 20, 2026

Trends Admin

UK Court Hands Life Sentence to Nigerian Teen for Knife Attack Killing

A Nigerian teenager residing in the UK, Jackson Uwagboe, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of 21-year-old Robert Robinson, following a brutal knife attack in Lewisham, London. The sentencing was delivered at the Old Bailey on Wednesday.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed that 19-year-old Uwagboe of Hamilton Street, Lewisham, was found guilty of murder on Tuesday, 10 February 2026, in a case stemming from a dispute over a stolen bicycle. The court ruled that Uwagboe must serve a minimum of 21 years before he can be considered for parole.

Uwagboe’s co-defendant, Eromosele Omoluogbe, 24, was earlier convicted of perverting the course of justice after assisting Uwagboe in attempting to flee to Nigeria via Heathrow Airport.

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Prior to this sentencing, two other men, Ryan Wedderburn, 18, and Kirk Harris, had already been convicted and handed life sentences in May 2025 for their roles in the same murder.

Detective Inspector Neil Tovey, who led the investigation, described the incident as a “brutal and sustained attack”. He said, “Robert was subjected to a brutal and sustained attack by a group of men armed with knives. He was unarmed, already wounded, and on the ground when Uwagboe attacked him. Today’s verdict brings justice for Robert Robinson and his family.”

The case has drawn attention to youth violence, knife crime, and gang-related activity in London, as well as the challenges faced by law enforcement in preventing violent disputes over seemingly minor disputes such as bicycle theft.

The sentencing underscores the UK judicial system’s approach to serious violent crimes, ensuring that perpetrators face long-term incarceration while providing a clear minimum term before parole consideration.

UK Court Hands Life Sentence to Nigerian Teen for Knife Attack Killing

International

UK-Based Nigerian Gets 13-Year Jail Term for Forcing Girlfriend to Abort Pregnancy

Published

2 days ago

February 20, 2026

Trends Admin

Adeleke Adelani

UK-Based Nigerian Gets 13-Year Jail Term for Forcing Girlfriend to Abort Pregnancy

A UK-based Nigerian man, Adeleke Adelani, has been sentenced to more than 13 years’ imprisonment for unlawfully aborting the pregnancy of his former partner after coercing her to take abortion medication on Valentine’s Day.

The offence occurred in 2020 when Adelani, then 28 years old, deceptively invited the woman — whose identity is legally protected — to his residence in Letterkenny under the guise of discussing the future of her pregnancy. Evidence before the court showed that the victim was nine weeks pregnant at the time of the incident.

Prosecutors told the court that upon her arrival, Adelani threatened the woman with violence and forced her to ingest five tablets of misoprostol, a drug used for medical abortions, thereby causing the unlawful termination of the pregnancy. The court heard that the defendant had researched the medication in advance and acted deliberately. The victim later contacted authorities, leading to Adelani’s arrest by Irish police.

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At the time of the sentencing, Adelani was already serving a separate seven-year prison sentence for an unrelated offence. He had initially been due to stand trial last year but pleaded guilty before jury selection began, accepting responsibility for the charges brought against him.

During the sentencing hearing at the Letterkenny Circuit Court, the victim delivered a powerful impact statement, explaining that although she had chosen to forgive Adelani, the consequences of his actions would remain with her for life.

“I have forgiven the defendant,” she told the court. “That forgiveness does not mean what he did was acceptable. It means I refuse to let what he did continue to control my heart and my life. When he wrongfully imprisoned me and caused the termination of my nine-week pregnancy, he took far more than my freedom. He took my child. He took my sense of safety. He took a future that I had already begun to plan and love.”

In a letter read aloud in court, Adelani apologised to the victim, accepted full responsibility for his actions, and expressed remorse for the pain and trauma he caused.

Delivering judgment, John Aylmer described the crime as deliberate, premeditated, and deeply traumatic, stressing that it involved coercion, abuse, and a serious violation of trust. The judge sentenced Adelani to 11 years in prison, with the final two years suspended, for causing the unlawful termination of a pregnancy, and an additional five years, with the last 12 months suspended, for assault causing harm.

The sentences are to run concurrently, adding to Adelani’s existing term and resulting in an overall prison sentence exceeding 13 years. The case has reignited debate in Ireland and internationally about reproductive coercion, domestic abuse, and violence against women, with legal observers describing it as one of the most serious cases of its kind in recent years.