Help Aya and her family to survive famine in Gaza

My name is Aya abdalsalam, a mother to a beautiful little girl named Sophia.

Before October 7th, 2023, we lived a simple yet beautiful life in Gaza.

Our days were filled with love, laughter, and hope — especially hope for a better future for Sophia.

We had dreams, plans, and a home that felt safe.

Then the war came.

And everything collapsed.

Our house was completely destroyed.

We’ve been displaced countless times, running from one area to another, chasing a safety that no longer exists.

Every time we fled, we carried Sophia in our arms, trying to shield her from the bombs, the terror, and the sound of death all around us.

For the past two years, I have been living a life filled with fear and heartbreak. I am a mother whose soul has been shattered by the daily psychological war I endure.

I try my best to hide my pain for the sake of my only daughter, Sophia, who still dreams of living her childhood, and for my family who means everything to me.

Since my beautiful home was destroyed by this cruel war, I now live in a tent under the burning sun, where the heat is unbearable. There is no food, not even clean water.

I dream of drinking cold water in this scorching heat, but that is impossible. Food, when it is available, is so expensive that we can hardly afford it. Even when we manage to cook something simple like lentils, we face another struggle: there is no cooking gas, so we must buy wood to make fire in this extreme heat.

Even bathing is a challenge—I must wait in a long line just to get water. And at night, it is impossible to sleep without waking up countless times to the terrifying sound of massive explosions shaking the city. Each time, my only thought is to check if my daughter and my family are still alive.

But the deepest pain is in my heart as a mother. My little Sophia wakes up terrified from the sound of bombings, feeling that death is closer to us than life. Sophia dreams of going to school, of tasting a piece of chocolate, of playing with other children without fear.

This is just a glimpse of what I endure every single day. It is a psychological and physical war that no human being, no mother, should ever have to live through.

‏I am sharing my story with you because I need your support—not only for myself, but for Sophia and my family ,for her right to live a childhood like every child in this world deserves.

Do not leave us alone. Every word, every share, every action can save lives.

Stand with us, raise your voices, help in any way you can.