Mohammad Amar, a Palestinian shepherd, has built a fully functional home for his family inside a cave, where his daughters can easily sing and enjoy daily life. This relocation occurred after the destruction of his two houses by the Israeli army in the arid area of Masafer Yatta in the West Bank.
Life Inside the Cave
In this area, known for its geographical conditions and ongoing tensions between Palestinians and Israelis, Amar has started a new life by creating a smooth concrete floor and plastering the cave's stone walls. Now he lives in this cave with his wives and 11 children, using resources like solar power and well water to meet their daily needs.
Amar says about this: "We used to live in a house where we could see the outside world, but now we live in a cave that feels like a grave." His children play in a yard made from the side of a hill, and his daughters sing Arabic songs with a karaoke machine.
Challenges of Life and Hope for the Future
Despite the challenges of living in a cave, Amar mentions family connections and local friendships as factors for resisting destruction. He says, "Whenever someone loses their home, neighbors and families come to help build new shelters. Our closeness to each other is very helpful in these circumstances."
His wife, Fatima Amar, also mentions that their family initially set up tents after their houses were destroyed in 2023 and has now sought refuge in the cave, as this place has existed since ancient times and cannot be destroyed.
The Israeli army justifies the destruction of homes as legal, claiming that construction in areas under their control is illegal, while Palestinian requests for building permits are systematically denied. Despite these conditions, Amar hopes that one day the Palestinian residents of this area can live in security and peace in their homes.
He emphasizes: "While the world moves forward, we here in Palestine, in Masafer Yatta, are moving backward."
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