**Witness to Chaos: The Lives of Children in War-Torn Gaza**

This article explores the daily struggles of young individuals in Gaza amidst ongoing warfare, emphasizing resilience and a glimpse into their harrowing experiences.

In the heart of Gaza, where children should be learning and playing, the chilling realities of war have forced them into unimaginable roles. An 11-year-old named Zakaria is a prime example, helping paramedics at al-Aqsa hospital amidst a torrent of casualties resulting from the Israel-Hamas conflict. Faced with the starkness of death, Zakaria has witnessed thousands of bodies since the fighting escalated, and he tends to the arrival of wounded victims at the hospital.

His days are a whirlwind of activity, rushing injured individuals through crowded hallways, with the haunting memories of friends lost to violence etched into his mind. "I must have seen at least 5,000 bodies," he recounts, recalling traumatic moments like witnessing a boy perish in flames after an aerial attack.

Zakaria is one of the central figures in the BBC documentary "Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone," co-directed by Jamie Roberts and Yousef Hammash, who could not enter Gaza themselves due to restrictions. To portray the lived experiences of those caught in the conflict, they relied on local cameramen to film the harrowing details of everyday life for children and families fighting for survival.

Among those tracked in the film are Abdullah, a 13-year-old who attempts to continue his education despite the chaos, and Renad, a 10-year-old girl achieving TikTok fame with a cooking show alongside her sister, even as they struggle to find basic ingredients. Meanwhile, Rana, a 24-year-old new mother, contends with displacement and hardship, compounded by the war’s constant threat to their existence.

Since the warfare began, Gaza has been marked by incredible loss, with more than 48,200 fatalities reported amidst a devastating humanitarian crisis. Filming took place primarily in an area labeled a "humanitarian zone" by the Israeli army, although this designation did little to safeguard civilians, as the region faced persistent bombings.

As Zakaria volunteers at the only functioning hospital in central Gaza, he grapples with both the chaos of war and the struggle to maintain a childhood. He often finds himself spending nights at the hospital, away from his family, which he cannot support due to scarce resources. The staff, recognizing his commitment, provide him with miniature scrubs and mentorship, nurturing a passion for becoming a paramedic.

Yet, his experiences weigh heavily on his young shoulders, leading Said, a paramedic, to worry that the trauma could hinder his ability to relate to peers in a peaceful setting later in life. Despite the turmoil, Zakaria holds onto a gleam of hope, expressing a steadfast dream: "I want to be a paramedic," he states, wishing only to escape the current state of devastation.

The compelling documentary, "Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone," showcases the resilience of Gazan youth amidst a backdrop of despair. It airs on BBC Two and iPlayer, offering viewers a poignant window into a crisis that continues to unfold with relentless brutality.