Precarity

Severe winter rains makes life even harsher in Gaza

Mahmoud sent the below video with the following text:

“Hello brother, how are you? Here’s a video about the suffering of people living in tents after they couldn’t find a place to pitch their tents. They had no choice but to pitch their tents on the beach, but they suffer from seawater entering their tents with the strong waves during the severe storm. They built sand barriers to protect themselves from the seawater, but the sand dissolves in the water and doesn’t protect them much.”

I have had one eye on the winter storms ravaging Gaza -- and this led me to do the periodic check in on Mahmoud’s cousins (Fada and family) and his sister Hala and baby Ghada. They were both having difficult times, less because of the rain, but because of food insecurity, i.e. no money. It’s always in the back of my mind, his extended family, I know without asking that he is sharing what he can, and it is why he runs low on food/money a little sooner than he otherwise would. So I sent $300 just for him to spread between them as he sees fit. I couldn’t bear, in particular, the idea that little Ghada might be without sufficient milk, but Fada also has three young children. (Hypothermia is killing many in Gaza as we speak - they may spent the money on clothing. They will blow through $150 each instantly.)

I am blessedly working a lot again, at least relative to the past few months of drought. Not the money I was used to making, but I am still grateful. Living (psychologically speaking) in the silver lining during these dark times has become an absolute survival tool for me personally.

And imagining myself in a flooded tent with scared and hungry kids is enough to remind me that I really have nothing to complain about.

MCO 2025