Feature: Ordinary Gazans try hard to heal wounds of war

"During the rest of my life, it will be impossible for me to rebuild my home. Maybe it can be done by the next generation," he said.

Shortly before our visit to Mahamad's home, Thaer Alshikh, another villager, told Xinhua his story outside the rubble of his home.

The home, which cost him about 100,000 U.S. dollars, was destroyed completely by the Israeli army about a week ago, the 27-year-old man said.

The destruction of their home caused his pregnant wife to have a miscarriage, Alshikh told Xinhua.

"There are no militants here, no rockets are fired from our village into Israel. I can never understand why they destroyed our homes," Alshikh said, adding that about 200 houses in the village were destroyed by the Israeli army.

Maybe the Israeli army did it in order to get a better vision, which helped its operations in Gaza, he said.

"In the first days after the loss of both my home and my child, I thought about taking revenge. But I later changed my mind, because violence cannot lead to peace.

"What I want to do now is to rebuild my home, though it is very difficult. And I want peace between the Palestinians and Israel," Alshikh said. He is now living temporarily with his uncle.