{
  "id": 19600748,
  "title": "‘I'm 28, but I look 40’: How war has changed the faces of Gaza",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/12/im-28-but-i-look-40-how-war-has-changed-the-faces-of-gaza-19600748",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-12T04:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National Business",
    "slug": "the-national-business",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2026/11/12/im-28-but-i-look-40-how-war-has-changed-the-faces-of-gaza/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In the three-year conflict in Gaza, individuals are experiencing drastic physical changes due to war's toll on their bodies and minds. Mustafa Musa, a 28-year-old, is shocked by his transformed appearance, describing himself as looking 40 years older. He has lost weight, his face and hands are darker, and his features appear aged. Daily responsibilities like securing food and water, coupled with constant sun exposure, have exacerbated these changes. Musa now shaves only once a month, a stark contrast to his weekly routine before the war.\n\nAfaf Hamada, 42, also bears the scars of war. Her skin, hair, and hands bear the consequences of poor nutrition, lack of clean water, and scarce hygiene products. She washes clothes and dishes by hand, lighting fires for cooking, which has led to painful hands and feet, and darkened, thinning hair. The constant stress and hardship have resulted in high blood pressure, affecting her overall well-being.\n\nFor young women like Sireen Abu Harbeed, 24, the war has had a profound psychological impact on their appearance and self-image. Displaced from Beit Hanoun, she lost access to personal care products and hygiene routines. Her hair and face have visibly changed, causing distress as she struggles to recognize herself in the mirror. The loss of privacy, security, and control over daily life has made it challenging for her to accept her altered appearance, as it represents a significant loss of her former identity and routine.",
  "summary": "After three years of war in Gaza , Mustafa Musa struggles to recognise the person he sees in the mirror. “I am 28 years old, but when I look in the mirror, I think I look 40,” he told The National . “The war has changed everything about us, but what it has changed most is our appearance, our facial features, and every detail of who we were before the war.” Mr Musa weighed 90kg before the war; he…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}