Title: The Price of Resistance: Wael Mesheh's Story In the heart of the West Bank's Balata refugee camp, a young man's life was cut short by an Israeli drone, sparking a conversation about the cost of resistance and the trauma that defines the lives of many Palestinians. Wael Mesheh was just 17 when he lost his life, a victim of a conflict that has been ongoing for decades. Wael's story is a testament to the resilience of a generation that has grown up amidst the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He had big dreams of becoming a computer programmer and attending university, but his life took a turn after being imprisoned by Israel for throwing stones at soldiers. The experience of being assaulted in jail and later released in a prisoner exchange deal hardened his resolve to fight for Palestinian freedom. Many young Palestinians like Wael face a daunting reality – one that is marked by trauma, poverty, and violence. Children in the West Bank's refugee camps are exposed to incessant traumatisation, forced to live in a state of uncertainty and fear. Their parents, themselves refugees who were denied the right to return to their homeland, struggle to provide for their families amidst poverty and displacement. The conditions in the camps are a breeding ground for armed resistance, as young people like Wael seek to challenge the status quo and fight for their rights. His family says it was his time in prison that pushed him to join the Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas. Belal, Wael's father, recalls the trauma his son experienced in jail, where he was tortured and kept in solitary confinement. The West Bank's 19 refugee camps, established in 1948, are now densely populated areas that house the descendants of hundreds of thousands of refugees. The older generations remember the Nakba, the 1948 expulsion of Palestinians from their homes to make way for the Israeli state. Today, these camps are a symbol of resistance, where defenders of Palestinian rights live side by side with those who have been marginalized within their own society. Wael's story serves as a reminder of the human cost of conflict and the need for a peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As we reflect on his life and death, we are reminded of the resilience of the Palestinian people and the importance of finding a way to end the cycle of violence that has plagued this region for so long.