Guardian profiles 12-year-old Gaza boy working to feed siblings as war nears four years
Ramadan Ghaban works 12-hour cafe shifts in a tent settlement, supporting his family after his father's death in an Israeli bombing.
What to know
- A 12-year-old Palestinian boy in Gaza works 12-hour daily shifts at a beach cafe to feed his three sisters and brother after his father was killed in an Israeli bombing.
- Ramadan lives in a tent on the sand with no gas for cooking and limited resources, gathering plastic and wood scraps to boil water for tea each morning.
- The Guardian published his account as part of a series documenting ordinary Palestinians' lives as the Gaza conflict approaches its fourth year.
“My work is very tiring, but I do it because I have to support my siblings. I see the neighbour's kids hanging around and playing, living with their father, and he brings them food and drink, but I have to work to get food and drink.”
Ramadan Yaqoub Ghaban, 12-year-old Palestinian worker · Guardian Global Development ↗ · Sep 21
Ramadan Yaqoub Ghaban 12-year-old Palestinian worker in GazaGuardian News organization
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Guardian publishes first-person account from 12-year-old Gaza worker
The Guardian released an interactive feature following five ordinary Palestinians through their daily lives during the fourth year of the Gaza war. One profile centers on Ramadan Yaqoub Ghaban, a 12-year-old who works 12-hour shifts at a beach cafe to support his family after his father was killed in an Israeli bombing.
“I wake up every morning at 6.30am. Sometimes, the heat wakes me up, and sometimes it is the sound of the birds, which are everywhere because we live near the sea.”
— Ramadan Yaqoub Ghaban -
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The Guardian | ‘I’m afraid they’ll bomb the cafe where I work, or bomb me’: a day in the life of a 12-year-old boy in Gaza https://www. theguardian.com/global-develop ment/ng-interactive/2026/sep/22/im-afraid-theyll-bomb-the-cafe-where-i-work-or-bomb-me-a-day-in-the-life-of-a-12-year-old-boy-in-gaza # WNN7 # BreakingNews # WorldNewsNuggets
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https://www. theguardian.com/global-develop ment/ng-interactive/2026/sep/22/im-afraid-theyll-bomb-the-cafe-where-i-work-or-bomb-me-a-day-in-the-life-of-a-12-year-old-boy-in-gaza?CMP=share_btn_url
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first by theguardian.com, 1d ago · also Guardian Global Development