Milford Towers is a social housing estate in Lewisham, south London, slated for demolition and described by its residents as 'hell'. The residents accuse the council of ignoring them and deliberately running it into the ground. There are frequent leaks, mould infestations, fires, stabbings and violence – and perpetually broken lifts.

Samah Khalid Naji is 18, and along with six other members of her family, is living in the bombed-out remains of their house in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza. It was destroyed in October by an Israeli missile strike. The Guardian spent two days with Samah and her family in December to see the remains of their house and how they are surviving the war. She told the film-maker Majdi Fathi about why they decided this was the safest place for them to be

Kuo Chiu, known as KC to his friends, teaches urban design at Tunghai University in Taiwan. He’s also one of many of the country's citizens who practises rifle skills in his spare time, in case of a Chinese invasion. The Guardian's video team spent time with KC to see how he is preparing.

Palestinian doctor and five-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee, Izzeldin Abuelaish, has experienced immense personal tragedy. In January 2009, an Israeli tank shell hit his home killing his three daughters and one of his nieces and in November this year, 22 members of his extended family were killed in Jabaliya refugee camp by an Israeli airstrike. Dr Abuelaish speaks to the Guardian about how his personal loss has made him determined to push for peace

Seven-year-old Lina and her family are sleeping on the floor of a tent outside al-Aqsa hospital, in central Gaza. They were forced to flee their home in Jabaliya in the north of the Gaza Strip when the war between Hamas and Israel broke out after Hamas' murder of 1,200 people in southern Israel. Now displaced, Lina and her siblings spend their time searching for food to buy, queueing for water and playing games. The Guardian spent one day on the 9 November with Lina to see how children are surviving in Gaza