Three years after the Oct. 7 conflict began, Gaza’s residents are shifting from mere survival to rebuilding, as they repair shelters, enroll children in school, and join cash‑for‑work projects.

On Wednesday, Israelis and Palestinians will mark the somber anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas‑led attack on Israel, which, according to Israeli tallies, killed 1,200 people and left 251 hostages in Gaza. The local health ministry says the Gaza death toll has risen to 74,245, with 1,462 Palestinians killed since the Oct. 11 ceasefire.

CBC News spoke with six Gaza residents who say the enclave is gradually moving beyond pure survival. Many are now looking for longer‑term housing solutions and are even sending their children back to school, signalling a tentative return to normal life.

Mohamed Al‑Arabeed, 44, has lived for three years in a tent at the Al‑Maqousi camp near Gaza City. He paid 2,000 shekels (about $935 CAD) for the shelter, which is now tearing at the seams after enduring three harsh winters.

Food remains scarce and expensive. Two dozen eggs now cost 30 shekels—roughly $14 CAD—and a modest family breakfast can require about 500 shekels (≈$234 CAD), prices that push many households beyond their reach.

A United Nations cash‑for‑work scheme is offering a modest income to some Palestinians, providing both financial relief and a sense of purpose amid the ongoing crisis.

In Gaza City, 44‑year‑old teacher Rasha Al‑Dos has turned a parking garage into a makeshift classroom with tarps and wood, and she now sends her four children to a nearby kindergarten while she resumes teaching at Warda al‑Huda private school after losing her husband in the war, illustrating the community’s drive to restore education.