Surviving War in Gaza, One Text Message at a Time

“Free, free, free Palestine!” “Stop-fire now!” “Each morning, I write on the group, ‘Please, are you all OK?’ That is the fourth day I’m attempting to achieve Mother. You understand, I come from a comparatively small household. Father. Mom. Muhammad. Reema. Reham. Mahmoud. Rula. Ruwaa. Shaimaa. My childhood reminiscences. I odor the meals that my aunts and neighbors had been cooking. And when the summer season comes and the breeze of the seashore. However now? On daily basis since Oct. 7, my physique is right here, however my coronary heart is linked to every certainly one of my household. Up to now they’re alive, however they aren’t OK. Shushu is the youngest woman, and I’m the youngest boy. I sort of helped elevating her. We’d all the time play collectively, and we had been sort of the spoiled within the household. So Shushu and I and my mom had been all the time inseparable. There may be not a single protected place in Gaza. Each time I learn that they bomb a home in Nuseirat or bomb a home in Maghazi or in Zawayda or Deir al Balah or Rafah, I instantly suppose, Is it my sister’s home? Is it my dad and mom’ home? I by no means thought that this chat group is an important factor in my life. It breaks the information if my household is alive or not. I preserve attempting and praying. Making an attempt and pray.”