JORDAN. AL Balqa Governorate. 29 November, 2023.

Eissa Mahmoud Ahmad Ayesh (CENTER), aged 73 (born in 1949) sits next to his grandsons Taj Eissa Ayesh (LEFT) and Saif Eissa Ayesh (RIGHT) at their home inside the Baqa’a Palestinian refugee camp in Jordan.
Originally from Al Khalil (Hebron), Eissa was merely one year old when he and his family faced displacement from Al Khalil to Al Fawwar Camp, south of Al Khalil during the war of 1948. They resided there until 1962 before relocating to Jericho, specifically Aqabat Jaber camp. Following the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Eissa’s family were compelled to leave Aqabat Jaber and seek refuge in Amman, initially staying with extended family for approximately five months. Subsequently, in 1968, they settled in Al Karama camp, where Eissa completed his final year of high school. However, due to fighting at the time between Jordan and Israel, they were once again forced to leave, this time settling in the Baqa'a refugee camp.
"Life in the camp was desolate. It was all muddy; there were no schools. I studied at home; it was a bare existence," Eissa recollects. He vividly recalls the harsh conditions in Al Fawwar Camp, enduring freezing temperatures, heavy rains, and snow until UNRWA intervened by constructing housing units. "We will never forget Palestine. Our land was unjustly occupied. Palestine belongs to the Arabs, the Canaanites," he passionately asserts.
Eissa pursued his education in Arabic language in Irbid and later became an Arabic language teacher, dedicating 33 years of his life to this profession, spanning from 1970 to 2003.
Upon their arrival at Al Baqa'a, the camp comprised only tents. Eventually, they utilized materials like asbestos, then "zenko," and finally stones for construction. Initially restricted to one floor, the regulations now permit up to three floors.
Despite the simplicity of life in the camp, people displayed remarkable social cohesion and kindness. "There were no disputes; tents were closely pack