Amid Gaza’s ongoing crisis, stories of resilience and hope shine through from different corners of the community. Here are four powerful highlights that capture the unyielding spirit of Gaza’s people in the face of adversity.
Basma: Providing Psychological Support Amidst Crisis
In Gaza, where relentless airstrikes have caused widespread devastation, Basma, a psychologist at the Palestinian Development Women’s Studies Centre (PDWSA), supports women battling the emotional scars of the devastating crisis. Despite facing her own profound loss and displacement, Basma remains dedicated to helping others heal. She said:
“I went through a very difficult displacement experience. We were affected in all aspects and on all levels in our personal lives and in our practical and professional lives.”
Basma has witnessed firsthand the toll conflict takes on the mental health of Gaza’s women. Displacement has magnified these challenges, stripping women of their privacy and heightening emotional distress.
“When we visit women in camps, they live in tents where privacy and trust are scarce. It’s not the right environment for a woman to freely express her emotions.”
Yet, despite these challenges, Basma persists. Her work is more than just offering individual care—it’s about restoring hope to an entire community. She shared the broader impact of the psychological support she provides:
“The symptoms of distress in women can affect their relationships with their children, spouses, and those around them.”
Basma’s story speaks to the resilience of those providing critical mental health care in the midst of crisis. Her commitment to helping women heal shines a light on the importance of mental health services, especially in the most difficult circumstances.
Aisha: A Journey of Survival and Hope
Aisha, at just 30, has already endured a lifetime of displacement. Her journey is a powerful reflection of the resilience that so many people in Gaza must summon to survive. She recalled:
“At the beginning of the war, there was a lot of bombing. We stayed in the house for only a week. After that, we went out to my grandfather’s house. And there was also a lot of bombing there, so we were displaced again… we returned to Al-Shifa [Hospital]. We heard that [the Israeli army] got very close… So we left [Al-Shifa Hospital]. There was no transportation. We threw away all our belongings.”
Aisha and her family traveled from her grandfather’s house to a crowded hospital and finally on foot to Khan Younis. Along the way, she was separated from her father and, to this day, has no knowledge of where he is. Now living in a displacement camp, Aisha holds on to hope. She told us:
“What do I wish for the future? That I don’t [have to] stay here. That my father and I meet [again]. I hope the war ends… after the war, there will be peace.”
Aisha’s resilience is a beacon of hope, not just for her family but for all those yearning for a future free from the devastation of war.
Fatma: A Voice for Women in Crisis
Having endured her own cycle of displacement, Fatma, an ActionAid Project Officer, channels her own experiences into advocating for women and girls who are disproportionately affected by the war. She said
“Since the outbreak of violence in Gaza on 7 October, [my family and I] have been trapped in a constant cycle of displacement and loss. We have been forced to flee again and again, moving from the north to the south, seeking and searching for safety, survival, and security.”
With men injured or killed, many women have become heads of households. Fatma works tirelessly to support women with hygiene kits and psychosocial support. She shared:
“This war [has] increased the suffering of women as a result of the lack of health services, the lack of clean water, the lack of many multisectoral services they need to live in dignity. As humanitarian organizations, our duty and goal is to alleviate their suffering by providing them with effective responses.”
Despite the immense challenges humanitarian workers face, including attacks and blocked supply routes, Fatma remains committed to supporting women who are bearing the brunt of this devastating crisis.
“Our efforts face many challenges: the complex humanitarian supply chain, the overwhelming number of people in need, the deliberate obstructions of a humanitarian corridor which severely limits our ability to provide effective responses, and the repeated and continuous displacement from place to place. There have been deliberate attacks on humanitarians.”
Fatma’s story highlights the critical role local humanitarians play in responding to crises and the profound impact they have on their communities.
Khalid: Youth Leading the Way
Amid the hardships of life in Gaza, Khalid, a member of the Humanitarian Youth Group, represents the resilience of Gaza’s youth. Having experienced multiple displacements himself, Khalid has found strength in channeling his own struggles into serving his community.
Supported by ActionAid, the Humanitarian Youth Group has launched several initiatives to support displaced children with psychological support. Khalid shared:
“[One of our] initiatives aims to improve the psychological well-being of children in shelters and displacement camps. We support young people to help them integrate into the community.
The main reason for joining [the Humanitarian Youth Group] was my belief in the importance of having young people in decision-making positions in the humanitarian sector. It is no secret that young people play a vital role in any development process in all societies. We believe in the genuine and effective role young people play during crises, disasters, or periods of war.”
Khalid’s story reminds us of the potential for youth to drive meaningful change, even in the face of adversity. Khalid and his colleagues are not just responding to the present—they are actively shaping the future of their community.
Through the powerful stories of Basma, Aisha, Fatma, and Khalid, we see the profound impact of ActionAid’s support in Gaza, where hope and resilience shine even amid the devastation. Basma’s dedication to mental health, Aisha’s enduring strength, Fatma’s advocacy for women, and Khalid’s youth leadership demonstrate how ActionAid is making a tangible difference in the lives affected by the crisis in Gaza. By providing essential resources, psychosocial support, and a platform for voices that often go unheard, we are supporting individuals to not only survive but to envision and build a future of peace and dignity for Gaza.