I was training to heal eyes in Gaza. Then everything went dark | Israel-Palestine conflict

Before this catastrophe began, I was living the happiest days of my life, surrounded by the warmth of my family, the affection of my friends, and dreams that felt within reach. I spent most of 2023 preparing for my graduation and getting ready to move from lecture halls to practical training fields, rotating between the laboratories of the Islamic University in Gaza and the eye hospitals spread across the Gaza Strip.

On the evening of October 6, I was organising my books, tools and white…