Social media is flooded with images of fancy cafes and restaurants in Gaza, with pro-Israeli accounts claiming this proves life is returning to normal. While these establishments do exist, they are not evidence of normality but rather of the ongoing genocidal abnormality.

In late March, the author visited Gaza City for the first time since the war began and was shocked by the destruction: piles of rubble everywhere, streets unrecognizable. Even more shocking were the new luxury cafes that didn't exist before the war. Built with expensive materials, glass facades, and bright lights, they looked surreal amid the ruins.

The war has enriched some Gazans, particularly those involved in smuggling, looting, and hoarding during acute shortages. This wealth is now displayed in luxury cafes and restaurants. Meanwhile, the vast majority of the population has been pushed into abject poverty, living in tents without electricity or clean water, surviving on minimal aid allowed by Israel.

The author's family lives in a tent near their destroyed home in Nuseirat camp. He visited Al-Taboon restaurant, where he used to go with friends. A chicken wrap, soda, and salad cost 60 shekels ($20) – more than three times the pre-war price. He felt guilty spending such a sum.

These luxury establishments reflect a deeply unjust social order in Gaza: war profiteers have formed a privileged class, while the majority suffers in misery without access to education, healthcare, or even food. The genocide has not only killed and maimed but has eliminated the prospect of a normal life for most Gazans.

Source: www.aljazeera.com