A Cry for Survival from Beneath the Rubble: Help Our Family

Gaza – Jabalia, October 31, 2023

We are the survivors of the Jabalia massacre, where six explosive barrels were dropped—some of the most devastating bombs the Arab world has ever seen. In an instant, an entire neighborhood was wiped out, buried under the rubble, leaving nothing but destruction and loss in its wake.

My family, which consisted of nine members the past, consisted now of eight. We lost my younger brother, a sweet, innocent 12-year-old boy, along with my cousin, who was at the same age and shared the same tragic fate. We found them both shattered, torn apart, and buried under the debris. They were wrapped together in the same burial shroud, as they had shared life, they shared death. That was the last time I saw my brother, the last time I touched his small hands that had filled our home with love and laughter. It has been a year since we lost him, a year filled with relentless pain. And yet, the war continues, robbing us of any hope remains.

Today, just as we were before, the rest of my family—my grandmother, aunts, uncles, and their young children—were forced to flee, leaving behind everything: their homes which now reduced to rubble, the grave of my brother and cousin, and the memories we held dear, now lost forever.

Our entire lives have been erased. It has been a year, and we are still living in temporary tents, suffering through the freezing cold of winter and the scorching heat of summer. The cold inside the tent is unbearable; the nights are long, and we shiver uncontrollably, our frail bodies unable to withstand the bone-chilling frost. We have no blankets or warm clothes to protect us. The rain seeps through our flimsy tents, soaking us and intensifying our misery. Even the most basic necessities, like drinking water, are hard to come by. We are trapped in inhumane conditions, surrounded by filth and insects, with water and food becoming increasingly scarce and unaffordable. Today, in Gaza, the cheapest thing we have is our lives, constantly threatened and hanging by a thread.

We do not dream of much. Our only hope is survival. The only chance we have left is to escape this deadly circle before more lives are lost.

We appeal you, those with living consciences, those who stand against injustice. Help us escape this nightmare before it’s too late. Every contribution, no matter how small, makes a difference in our journey toward survival. Your support opens a door of hope and keeps us alive in this ongoing struggle for life.