Mona Yousef

I graduated last year and worked for seven months as a translator for UNRWA - an international organisation working with Palestinian refugees.

Now I am not working because my contract expired and they can't afford to renew it. Also, there are many graduate students who need the chance to train.

MEET THE PANEL Name: Mona Yousef Age: 23 Lives: Northern Gaza Strip Works: Unemployed translator

I live with my parents and five brothers and a grandmother.

Term started for my three school-age brothers on Saturday - but they returned after one hour.

Teachers are refusing to teach because they haven't been paid. The government doesn't have the money to pay them.

Some Hamas-supporting teachers are still working but three quarters of the staff at my brothers' school are not.

My brothers are trying to work at home, it's really bad.

The security situation is horrible. People are divided between Hamas and Fatah.

It's difficult to see families fighting each other over this, when you are used to seeing them united in resisting the occupation forces.

They forced the Israelis to leave - and now they are fighting each other.

LIFE IN GAZA Fathi Tobail Mona Yousef Mamoun Abushahla Majeda Al Saqqa

I've never left Gaza, it's one of my dreams. I haven't even been to Egypt.

Israel is refusing to let people leave; we feel like we are living in a big prison.

This time last year I was involved in many activities, now there's nothing.

I was preparing for my graduation paper; I was involved in a drama at the British Council, and I was training as a translator. Now, there are fewer activities because there's no money.

I still go one day a week to an English club. We speak English, learn vocabulary and help other students.

I write short stories in Arabic. I won a prize and people are trying to help me get published.

My stories are about the situation here in Gaza.