Ahmad & Samar: A Future Beyond Gaza's War

My name is Ahmad Johar, a 25-year-old, Palestinian from Gaza. I have lived through 5 wars in the Gaza Strip, each one harder than the previous, but the latest war that began in 2023 has been the most devastating. In this war, I lost many of my friends and relatives, along with all the dreams and ambitions I had worked so hard to achieve.

After graduating from university two years ago, I attempted to travel abroad illegally in search of a better life. I went to Turkey, hoping to migrate to another country, but unfortunately, all my attempts failed. In 2021, I returned to Gaza, realizing that leaving was not an option. I decided to build an Internet distribution network to secure my life and future. With the encouragement of my family and friends, I invested considerable time and money into the project. After two years of hard work and after my work is stabilized, I proposed to my fiancée, Samar on July 6th 2023, a recent graduate from the English translation department at the Islamic University of Gaza. I was depending entirely on my business to support our future together.

However, just three months after our engagement, the war in Gaza broke out, destroying everything I had built. My own project, which I had relied on to create a future for Samar and me, was completely destroyed, along with our dreams of starting a family and finding stability. I lost all my resources—energy, money, and possessions—during the war, and as the destruction continued, my future became uncertain and filled with fear.

Like anyone else, Samar and I had a life full of plans and dreams. I was passionate about my business, and Samar was eager to begin her career in translation. But the war disrupted everything. Samar lost her dream of working in her field because of the destruction in Gaza, and I lost my business, which had been my primary source of income.

On December 4, 2023, I had to say goodbye to Samar as my family and I were displaced to another city, fleeing the ongoing threats of bombing. Soon after, Samar and her family were also displaced to the same city, but it was difficult for us to meet due to the long distances and dangerous roads.

During this war, we were forced to flee from our home and move from one place to another depending on the danger and finding safe areas. We suffered a lot during this journey, but after a long struggle, I returned to my damaged home due to the shells, while Samar's house was completely destroyed, unfortunately."

Although Samar and I were closer geographically after our return, our situation did not improve. The future we had once dreamed of now seemed distant and unclear. All our plans had been stopped by the war. We had planned to get married a few months after our engagement, but the war separated us for a year!!

Samar and I will be getting married in the coming days and the war forced us to cancel our wedding as planned so, we will get married without any wedding ceremonies. The life we had dreamed of together has become nothing but a memory.

We want to travel as soon as the crossing is open, as life in Gaza has become completely impossible. My own project was entirely destroyed, and due to the massive destruction of the internet networks, it has become impossible to restart it here. Our homes are no longer standing, and all signs of life have vanished. As we are a couple about to start a new chapter of their lives together, we see no future for us in Gaza after this devastating war, especially after all we have suffered over the past year and a half.

We have endured many difficulties and challenges that prevented our marriage, and now it is time to make up for all that we have suffered. We wish to marry as soon as possible before the crossing opens, and with your generous support, we are seeking to gather the funds for the marriage and travel to achieve our dream of building a stable future abroad.