My name is Mohammad Al-Aqqad, and I am 24 years old.

Before October 7, 2023, I was just a university student living his dream, standing at the beginning of a new life full of hope and ambition. I studied hard, worked on improving myself, and planned my future with great passion. I imagined myself after graduation working in my field, building a dignified life for myself and my family, and contributing to improving their lives as well. My days were filled with dreams, and every small step I took brought me closer to achieving something greater.

But on October 7, 2023, everything suddenly changed. The war was no longer distant noise or news we watched on television; it became a harsh reality knocking violently on our doors, turning our lives upside down, and taking away everything that once gave us comfort. In a single moment, we lost our home, our safety, and the peace of mind we once had. The dreams I had carefully built, my life plans everything collapsed before my eyes like a tower of sand.

Fear and loss became part of our daily lives. I was no longer a student studying and planning for his future; I became fully responsible for my family 15 people who depend on me to survive. Every day brings new challenges: How will I provide food for them? How can I protect them from cold, hunger, and danger? How can I remain strong in front of them and show them hope, while my heart aches with loss?

Watching my loved ones suffer children crying from hunger or cold, and parents trying to hide their fear from everyone breaks my heart. Every aspect of our lives became tied to survival, and every critical moment forces me to think quickly and make decisions that could determine our fate. Sometimes I feel that this responsibility is too heavy for any person to bear, but there is no room to retreat. My family is my life, and I am now their only support.

Despite all the pain and loss, I try to keep hope alive. I believe that this war has not taken everything from us, and that strength, patience, and sacrifice can still make a difference, even in the hardest circumstances. I try to be a source of safety and reassurance for them, offering even a small smile, because I know that hope no matter how fragile can sometimes be stronger than fear.

I am Mohammad, a young man whose dream was suddenly put on hold, but never died. Every day I struggle for my family, trying to give them what they need, and I dream of a day when we return to a normal life living with dignity, reclaiming our stolen dreams, and being able to laugh and feel joy without fear of explosions, hunger, or danger.

This war may have destroyed our homes and taken away our safety and security, but it did not break our spirit. It did not erase our determination to endure, nor did it take away our ability to hope. I still dream of the day we return to the life we deserve, and prove to ourselves and to the world that humanity can survive, and that love and loyalty to family can be stronger than any cruelty or pain.،❤️