65-year-old Hazem shares his story. Video: Hamzeh Al-Shami/Gaza
Update: Less than three months after AFSC published Hazem’s story, we learned that he had died. We are saddened by the news and hold his family in the Light. By courageously sharing his own story, Hazem shed light on the difficulties faced by so many in Gaza. His passing underscores the urgency of our work to help Palestinians in Gaza meet their immediate needs as we advocate for an end to the blockade.
In April of this year, AFSC supporters like you donated to help provide essential items for elders in Gaza such as wheelchairs, walkers, medical mattresses, and other essentials. Thank you to everyone who has made a gift so far! Your support makes a difference.
My colleagues and I interviewed people affected by recent airstrikes in Gaza to learn more about what they are experiencing and how AFSC can help support them. Watch this video to hear from Hazem, 65, whose home was destroyed, and his family was displaced by the latest Israeli airstrike.
We talked with Hazem as he stood amidst the rubble of what was once his home. The recent escalation in Gaza had turned his life upside down. Memories that had taken a lifetime to create had been washed away in a torrent of destruction. It was as if his past had been erased, leaving only the present turmoil and uncertainty.
Hazem's family had been refugees since 1948 when they were forced to flee their ancestral village called Al Masmia in what is now Israel. They had carried their hopes and dreams with them. But the cycle of violence seemed to follow them wherever they went.
Amidst the chaos, Hazem's unwavering dedication to his 97-year-old mother, Amina, shone like a beacon. She had always been his guiding light, and now, in their time of need, he remained steadfast by her side. Amina had lost her ability to walk, and her wheelchair had been destroyed in the recent escalation. The simple act of mobility had become an impossible feat.
"She lost her wheelchair in the destruction, and now we need to carry her for any movement," Hazem sorrowfully revealed, his voice tinged with exhaustion. The loss of Amina's mobility symbolized the broader challenges faced by the elderly in Gaza, as they grappled with the consequences of the violence and the scarcity of essential resources.
AFSC has been on the ground in Palestine for decades, advocating for the rights of communities with limited access to healthcare, electricity, clean water, education, and other essentials. In Gaza, the health system is critically overburdened, and the whole society is suffering as a result of an inhumane blockade. The airstrikes exacerbated the deep, long-term damage caused by the blockade on Gaza, which had already created a humanitarian emergency.
With help from supporters like you, AFSC is ensuring that elders like Amina have wheelchairs and other critical supplies they need. Just as importantly, your support helps us advocate for systemic change.
Thank you to all who have donated to support AFSC’s humanitarian relief efforts in Gaza. We continue to gratefully accept donations to support elders like Amina.
