I am Mahmoud Qanoo, a 30-year-old lawyer from northern Gaza. Since the beginning of the genocide, my family and I have been torn apart. We were forced to flee our home and sought refuge at my brother's house, only for it to be destroyed over us, leaving my brother’s children injured. We were forced to flee once more, deeper into northern Gaza.
My fiancée, Engineer Suha, was also forced to displace to the south with her family, and I haven’t seen her for over a year. Our home in the north was destroyed, along with her office, and our wedding plans were shattered by the ongoing war. We tried to reunite, but every effort failed—I'm stuck in the north, and she’s in the south.
Meanwhile, my younger brother and sister were forced to displace to the south during the siege of Al-Shifa Hospital. Our family has been torn apart, displaced, and scattered across the land.
In this chaos, we have endured famine and unimaginable loss. I lost two brothers, and my dreams—like so many others—have been crushed. My master’s thesis remains incomplete, and my law office, once my livelihood, is gone.
My father, who suffers from diabetes, has seen his condition worsen due to the lack of food and medicine. Doctors had no choice but to amputate his foot, and his eye condition remains untreated. My mother, who was scheduled to have surgery for a tumor in her hand, is left stranded without care because of the ongoing war.
My brothers, Hussein, Hussam, and Ahmad—three engineers—were working in an office that has since been destroyed. We lost contact with Hussein early in the war and were later informed of his martyrdom, though his body has not been returned. Hussam was injured while visiting a friend in the hospital.Ahmed was martyred during our last displacement, while he was returning from the bakery to us.
My younger brother also suffered an injury to his foot while attempting to fetch water in southern Gaza, in areas that the occupation claims to be "safe."
Today, I live with my parents and Hussam, enduring famine, insecurity, and a lack of medical care. I have no source of income to support my family or myself. Every day feels like a new battle for survival, and the fear of losing another loved one weighs heavily on my heart.
I turn to you now, hoping for your support in providing food and medical care for my family. The thought of another loss is unbearable, and your help can save us from further devastation.