Gaza's children reveal their hopes and fears – in pictures

Schoolchildren from al-Zarqa characterise their neighbourhood in drawings – revealing their likes and dislikes, hopes and fears – to share with other children from abroad Photograph: Karl Schembri/Oxfam Photograph: Action images Osama Nouaf al-Mubayid, six, draws his impressions of Gaza. 'It's important children in the world share their drawings so that we know each others' problems,' he says Photograph: Karl Schembri/Oxfam Photograph: Action images A Palestinian girl from al-Zarqa ponders her teacher's request to draw a picture of what she would like her neighbourhood to look like or share a detail of daily life Photograph: Karl Schembri/Oxfam Photograph: Action images Drawing by Fahid Ahmed al-Sabbagh, 10: 'I want to have a park where children and families can go to have fun' Photograph: Karl Schembri/Oxfam Photograph: Oxfam Amani al-Issi, 11: 'I wish our sea was clean and that we do not live under occupation any more' Photograph: Karl Schembri/Oxfam Photograph: Oxfam Sofia Jabar Sulayman, 10: 'I wish we could play games without fear and that we don't have to walk far to the playing field' Photograph: Karl Schembri/Oxfam Photograph: Oxfam Anami al-Sharfa, 10: The writing at the top says: 'In the name of God the merciful', while the girl throws paper into an object marked 'trash bin'. 'We need more trash bins in our streets as well as more trees and benches,' says Anami Photograph: Karl Schembri/Oxfam Photograph: Oxfam Rouane Ahsharawi, eight: 'I'd love to have a cleaner and safe neighbourhood and a nice countryside and uninterrupted electricity' Photograph: Karl Schembri/Oxfam Photograph: Oxfam Shayma Maher Mohammed Abood, 10: 'I wish we had olive and lemon trees planted in our street and that we had nicer houses and water for farmers' Photograph: Karl Schembri/Oxfam Photograph: Oxfam Narmeen Mohammed Ahmed Naraj, nine: 'I like our mosque but it would be much nicer if it had trees around it' Photograph: Karl Schembri/Oxfam Photograph: Oxfam Arbaj Alaa al-Safadi, 10: The object on the right is marked 'trash bin'. 'I want to live in a beautiful, calm and clean area where there are lots of jobs' Photograph: Karl Schembri/Oxfam Photograph: Oxfam Eynas Khalid Shabit, nine. 'My street would be so much nicer if we had trees and flowers, and the people here deserve it because they are good and honest' Photograph: Karl Schembri/Oxfam Photograph: Oxfam Omar Karkaz, nine: 'I wish the people raising animals in our street were cleaner and I know it is possible, so this is my message to them' Photograph: Karl Schembri/Oxfam Photograph: Oxfam Hadil Ardi, 11: 'Our buildings and roads are not all beautiful like in other countries' Photograph: Karl Schembri/Oxfam Photograph: Oxfam Sabreen al-Issi, nine: 'We have to preserve our environment, love nature and be good to it so that we can keep enjoying it. I would like that' Photograph: Karl Schembri/Oxfam Photograph: Oxfam Hashim Mohammed, eight: 'I would like to live in a clean environment and in a nice house with tiles' Photograph: Karl Schembri/Oxfam Photograph: Oxfam Reem Moudhat al-Tahali, nine: 'I would like our streets to be beautiful, to work hard at school, and to be a friend to animals' Photograph: Karl Schembri/Oxfam Photograph: Oxfam Ibrahim Wafy Aslyh, nine: 'I'm a student and I don't like this way of life. I pray to God to live in a nicer neighbourhood that does not have any pollution' Photograph: Karl Schembri/Oxfam Photograph: Oxfam Ahmed al-Lah Soudi Hasounh, nine: 'If we had better, asphalted roads, the cars would be in a better shape and look nicer' Photograph: Karl Schembri/Oxfam Photograph: Oxfam Mahmoud al-Zmara, nine: 'I wish to have a green park with animals where I can play with my friends after school and in the summer holidays' Photograph: Karl Schembri/Oxfam Photograph: Oxfam Abed al-Rahman Omar, nine: 'We do not have a good sewage system in my street and because of this we suffer a lot from crawling insects and mosquitoes. I wish we lived in more safety' Photograph: Karl Schembri/Oxfam Photograph: Oxfam Amal Mkaat, nine: 'Having green areas and safe places where we can play is our right, but it will be hard for us to get this as long as we live under siege. I wish a better life for myself and everyone else' Photograph: Karl Schembri/Oxfam Photograph: Oxfam Tarik Abu Hamidane Rabh, nine: 'I wish we had nice views and cleaner beaches so that everyone could enjoy them' Photograph: Karl Schembri/Oxfam Photograph: Oxfam