I am weeping at the searing honesty and pain of these words dear Mohammed. It takes a lot of courage to speak such truth against all the stereotypes and self-serving expectations of the world. Neither victim nor symbol, just a man trying to live. At over three times your age, I’m in awe of the profound wisdom you’ve acquired in 25 years.
Sounds like you want to defend mass murder and hostage holding Elena.
No one cares about your complaints about Zionists. Hamas is way worse than Zionists.... Hamas is holding 2 million Gazan's hostage with their insistence on keeping 20 Israeli hostages and staying in power after the war.
Palestinians are the dumbest people on the planet. We all know that you want to wipe out Israel because YOU KEEP TELLING US. And when the efforts to wipe out Israel keep failing, and then you whine about how unfair it is to fight with Israel.
Sounds like you’re a Zionazi Elmer.. your opinion is nothing. Fuck you fascist pigs. Your kind used my dad and his brother in twin studies on starvation at Auschwitz.
No one gaf about your opinions you grnocidal colostomy bag
Hannibal yourself Elmer it’s the only good a piece of human refuse such as you is capable of.
I'm between commenters @Rosalindpetchesky and @Elenathered in age (a bit over 2.5 times your age) and agree with both. Standing in solidarity and trying to act with/for the Palestinian people continues to teach me far more at multiple levels than any form of education throughout my life. Endless thanks for expressing yourself so clearly at a time when it's so challenging for many of us to find adequate words.
It's my sincere hope that I have not and will not romanticize you or turn your trauma into a metaphor for resistance. I pledge to continue focusing first on your survival - by acting to stop Israel's barbaric blockades of aid into Gaza, its cruel forced starvation, and its deranged, incessant bombing and mass murder of civilians. Then together we will fight to end the Zionist occupation and to ensure Palestinian human rights, justice, liberation and freedom. Together we will work to end Zionism worldwide and obtain reparations from Israel and its enablers.
This cannot be about Western individual egos, it must be about the Palestinian people and humanity on our shared, small planet.
The author wouldn’t have liked my comment had I missed the point. But of course you’d say that. Every accusation is a confession.
Sounds like you’d miss the point of Jewish Voice for Peace, Ilan Pappe, Gabor Mate, recently published books (1) The World After Gaza: A History, (2) Perfect Victims: And a Politics of Appeal, and many more. Shalom, Salaam, May Peace be With you.
Sincere question, not a retort. Where are the Gaza voices for Peace? We only hear the voices of Hamas and Islamic jihad who are not interested in living in peaceful coexistence with Israel but want to eliminate Israel as Jewish state. Are there any Gazans who are willing to live alongside Israel in peace?
Palestinians are the dumbest people on the planet. We all know that they want to wipe out Israel because THEY KEEP TELLING US. And when the efforts to wipe out Israel keep failing, then they whine about how unfair it is to fight with Israel.
Right now civilians in Gaza struggle to simply survive 22 months of bombing, shooting, maiming, orphaning, torture, forced starvation. They’re fighting to be recognized as human beings. Their voices call out in pain and agony. Of course they’d be willing to live alongside israel in peace but israel has proven it wants only to exterminate them. Israel is not the everlasting victim trying to defend itself when it clearly engages in long-term, systematic crimes against humanity. How is targeting babies, journalists, medics, humanitarian aid workers self-defense? If you watch only mainstream news you will see coverage which has been framed by the zionist point of view. That news is finally slowly changing due to the forced starvation of an entire people. But to hear voices from within Gaza, try Instagram (in spite of its censorship), where on the ground documentation has awakened the world to their suffering. Tragically, “still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest.”
Well, I didn’t mean today, but during the last 75 years. Has there ever been a peace movement in Gaza? Ironically, it was some of the most ardent peace activists in Israel who chose to live near Gaza, who transported Gazans to Israeli hospitals for medical care and then were barbarically murdered on October 7. There will never be peace if people can’t make room for 2 people’s suffering. But as you aptly quoted, [people] hear what they want to hear and disregard the rest.
Ohhhhh..... so there was never a 'Gazan's for peace' movement because of this 22 months of war.... very telling comment....
And... before that?
And... You point to the people of Gaza starving.... If I were holding hostages and my family was starving, I'd release the hostages - today...
And.... You point to Israel's 'crimes against humanity'. What about Hamas's crimes against humanity? Are you concerned about those crimes too?
You are worried that the 'world isn't awakened to Palestinian suffering'. I believe the world is very aware of the suffering, but they have a lot less sympathy because we all know that Hamas started this war and Hamas refuses to give up power and hostages to end the war........
I wish there was more that I could do other than be one of your paid subscribers.
Every day we read about the horrors in Gaza and I talk about it with my friends, asking each other at what point is the world going to acknowledge what’s happening as a genocide?
Thank you for your writing and for helping those not in Gaza to understand the reality of the situation. No young person should have to experience what you are going through.
We hear you in this powerful, raw article that only you, who is suffering can tell about its horror, and we are so so sorry that you have had to endure this hell over history but now more than ever. Your suffering is felt by us who know how evil powers have treated you and realise that it is so wrong and it is now the time when the masks have been exposed to so many. Hopefully, good will come for you, which I pray it will.
I hate the word 'resilience.' Hate it, hate it, hate it. I am sorry you have to live with the curse of what you and others have endured and are enduring.
I can only echo the heartfelt sentiments expressed in the above comments as I swing between despair and fury at the tragedy that is Palestine and its long suffering people - you, your family, your people, at the hands of the Zionists and those who fund their maniacal depravity.
Hi, I don't think I will ever understand what you are going through. It seems so crazy.
Hopefully, you and the other Palestinians can make your situation and terrible quality of life clear to Hamas. Because currently (Aug 2025) Hamas is claiming they are winning, and they claim the civilians of Gaza (YOU) still support their 'resistance'.
Hamas is claiming victory because "we stood up to the Jews for two years". The translation is that means YOU have been able to put up with two years of suffering above ground, while they are safe and well fed below ground.
Many of the commenters are in nice warm/dry houses typing very brave statements saying how YOU should keep fighting. But if it were me, and I were living there, I'd want peace now, peace tomorrow and peace forever.
A friend sent me your essay and you are a very gifted writer. I am a Zionist - someone who believes that Jews have the right to a state of their own in Israel. I have been following the conflict closely but until I read your piece I didn’t fully l appreciate the impact of the conflict on an individual Gazan life. I am so sorry that you have to live in such conditions. Not sure how you manage day to day. However I am deeply saddened to read in these comments the attacks on Zionism and your approval of them. I will refrain from responding with facts because that would miss the whole point of your essay. Praying for peace soon. Stay safe.
I am weeping at the searing honesty and pain of these words dear Mohammed. It takes a lot of courage to speak such truth against all the stereotypes and self-serving expectations of the world. Neither victim nor symbol, just a man trying to live. At over three times your age, I’m in awe of the profound wisdom you’ve acquired in 25 years.
You are a writer. A good writer. A great writer even. Better than most even in English you are a better more evocative artist than most I’ve read.
I want you free I’m sorry the world has made you into an object and the Zionist scum have made you a target.
I’m more than twice your age a decent writer but not the caliber you are brother.
Zionist scum? Sounds like you are trying to fit his suffering into your narrative.
Sounds like you want to defend Zionism Suzy.
Bye bye genocidaire scum Suzy no one cares about your whining any more.
Sounds like you want to defend mass murder and hostage holding Elena.
No one cares about your complaints about Zionists. Hamas is way worse than Zionists.... Hamas is holding 2 million Gazan's hostage with their insistence on keeping 20 Israeli hostages and staying in power after the war.
Palestinians are the dumbest people on the planet. We all know that you want to wipe out Israel because YOU KEEP TELLING US. And when the efforts to wipe out Israel keep failing, and then you whine about how unfair it is to fight with Israel.
Sounds like you’re a Zionazi Elmer.. your opinion is nothing. Fuck you fascist pigs. Your kind used my dad and his brother in twin studies on starvation at Auschwitz.
No one gaf about your opinions you grnocidal colostomy bag
Hannibal yourself Elmer it’s the only good a piece of human refuse such as you is capable of.
I know this isn't the pertinent part but I'm astounded at how good of a writer you are at 25.
I'm between commenters @Rosalindpetchesky and @Elenathered in age (a bit over 2.5 times your age) and agree with both. Standing in solidarity and trying to act with/for the Palestinian people continues to teach me far more at multiple levels than any form of education throughout my life. Endless thanks for expressing yourself so clearly at a time when it's so challenging for many of us to find adequate words.
It's my sincere hope that I have not and will not romanticize you or turn your trauma into a metaphor for resistance. I pledge to continue focusing first on your survival - by acting to stop Israel's barbaric blockades of aid into Gaza, its cruel forced starvation, and its deranged, incessant bombing and mass murder of civilians. Then together we will fight to end the Zionist occupation and to ensure Palestinian human rights, justice, liberation and freedom. Together we will work to end Zionism worldwide and obtain reparations from Israel and its enablers.
This cannot be about Western individual egos, it must be about the Palestinian people and humanity on our shared, small planet.
end Zionism worldwide? Sounds like you missed the point of the essay.
The author wouldn’t have liked my comment had I missed the point. But of course you’d say that. Every accusation is a confession.
Sounds like you’d miss the point of Jewish Voice for Peace, Ilan Pappe, Gabor Mate, recently published books (1) The World After Gaza: A History, (2) Perfect Victims: And a Politics of Appeal, and many more. Shalom, Salaam, May Peace be With you.
Sincere question, not a retort. Where are the Gaza voices for Peace? We only hear the voices of Hamas and Islamic jihad who are not interested in living in peaceful coexistence with Israel but want to eliminate Israel as Jewish state. Are there any Gazans who are willing to live alongside Israel in peace?
Palestinians are the dumbest people on the planet. We all know that they want to wipe out Israel because THEY KEEP TELLING US. And when the efforts to wipe out Israel keep failing, then they whine about how unfair it is to fight with Israel.
Right now civilians in Gaza struggle to simply survive 22 months of bombing, shooting, maiming, orphaning, torture, forced starvation. They’re fighting to be recognized as human beings. Their voices call out in pain and agony. Of course they’d be willing to live alongside israel in peace but israel has proven it wants only to exterminate them. Israel is not the everlasting victim trying to defend itself when it clearly engages in long-term, systematic crimes against humanity. How is targeting babies, journalists, medics, humanitarian aid workers self-defense? If you watch only mainstream news you will see coverage which has been framed by the zionist point of view. That news is finally slowly changing due to the forced starvation of an entire people. But to hear voices from within Gaza, try Instagram (in spite of its censorship), where on the ground documentation has awakened the world to their suffering. Tragically, “still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest.”
Well, I didn’t mean today, but during the last 75 years. Has there ever been a peace movement in Gaza? Ironically, it was some of the most ardent peace activists in Israel who chose to live near Gaza, who transported Gazans to Israeli hospitals for medical care and then were barbarically murdered on October 7. There will never be peace if people can’t make room for 2 people’s suffering. But as you aptly quoted, [people] hear what they want to hear and disregard the rest.
Ohhhhh..... so there was never a 'Gazan's for peace' movement because of this 22 months of war.... very telling comment....
And... before that?
And... You point to the people of Gaza starving.... If I were holding hostages and my family was starving, I'd release the hostages - today...
And.... You point to Israel's 'crimes against humanity'. What about Hamas's crimes against humanity? Are you concerned about those crimes too?
You are worried that the 'world isn't awakened to Palestinian suffering'. I believe the world is very aware of the suffering, but they have a lot less sympathy because we all know that Hamas started this war and Hamas refuses to give up power and hostages to end the war........
I’m so sorry.
I wish there was more that I could do other than be one of your paid subscribers.
Every day we read about the horrors in Gaza and I talk about it with my friends, asking each other at what point is the world going to acknowledge what’s happening as a genocide?
Thank you for your writing and for helping those not in Gaza to understand the reality of the situation. No young person should have to experience what you are going through.
We hear you in this powerful, raw article that only you, who is suffering can tell about its horror, and we are so so sorry that you have had to endure this hell over history but now more than ever. Your suffering is felt by us who know how evil powers have treated you and realise that it is so wrong and it is now the time when the masks have been exposed to so many. Hopefully, good will come for you, which I pray it will.
I hate the word 'resilience.' Hate it, hate it, hate it. I am sorry you have to live with the curse of what you and others have endured and are enduring.
❤️🫂
I can only echo the heartfelt sentiments expressed in the above comments as I swing between despair and fury at the tragedy that is Palestine and its long suffering people - you, your family, your people, at the hands of the Zionists and those who fund their maniacal depravity.
I feel you deeply. Words fail me at times like this…
Hi, I don't think I will ever understand what you are going through. It seems so crazy.
Hopefully, you and the other Palestinians can make your situation and terrible quality of life clear to Hamas. Because currently (Aug 2025) Hamas is claiming they are winning, and they claim the civilians of Gaza (YOU) still support their 'resistance'.
Hamas is claiming victory because "we stood up to the Jews for two years". The translation is that means YOU have been able to put up with two years of suffering above ground, while they are safe and well fed below ground.
Many of the commenters are in nice warm/dry houses typing very brave statements saying how YOU should keep fighting. But if it were me, and I were living there, I'd want peace now, peace tomorrow and peace forever.
A friend sent me your essay and you are a very gifted writer. I am a Zionist - someone who believes that Jews have the right to a state of their own in Israel. I have been following the conflict closely but until I read your piece I didn’t fully l appreciate the impact of the conflict on an individual Gazan life. I am so sorry that you have to live in such conditions. Not sure how you manage day to day. However I am deeply saddened to read in these comments the attacks on Zionism and your approval of them. I will refrain from responding with facts because that would miss the whole point of your essay. Praying for peace soon. Stay safe.
Thanks for this piece, translated in French here, article n°5 https://zanzibar.substack.com/p/voix-palestiniennes-and-voix-du-monde-9d6