Help Sami to restore his life and work
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Hello,,
My name is Sami Shehada, a Palestinian photojournalist based in Gaza. For over 15 years, I have dedicated my life to documenting the struggles and resilience of my people, capturing the horrors of war and the strength of humanity amidst unimaginable hardship. I have witnessed every war in Gaza, standing as a witness to the atrocities and crimes committed against us.
But today, I am no longer just a storyteller of others’ pain—I am a victim of the war myself.
At the beginning of this latest war, my house was destroyed in an airstrike, and then the headquarters of the agency that employs me was destroyed. Yet I did not stop working, and I continued to work for six months, from the beginning of the war of extermination on the Gaza Strip on October 7. I did not stop performing my work duties until the occupation targeted me while I was working.
The occupation insisted on persecuting journalists to prevent them from documenting and transmitting their crimes of genocide and starvation to the world. They directly targeted me while I was covering their crimes in the central Gaza Strip, firing a tank shell at me that resulted in the amputation of my right foot.
Now, a year after my injury, I am still in the Gaza Strip, waiting to travel to complete my treatment. The occupation prevents me from leaving the Strip. Every time I apply to travel, the relevant authorities inform me that the occupation refuses to allow me to leave the Strip.
Life has become very difficult in Gaza. We lack the most basic necessities of life: no electricity, no food, no clean water, no cooking gas, and when it is available, it is very expensive. We live in tents that are very cold in the winter and very hot in the summer. It is an unbearable life that cannot be tolerated by humans.
I am asking for your support. I need help so I can travel and receive treatment, have a chance at survival, and begin my difficult journey to rebuild what remains of my life, protect my young family, regain my health, and return to the field to continue working in the profession I love.
For years, I have used my camera to highlight the suffering of others. Today, I humbly ask for your mercy and generosity to help my family and me through this dark chapter in our lives.
Every donation, no matter how small, brings me closer to survival and finding a way to move on with my life. Thank you for standing with me during this difficult time.
Organizer
sami shehada
Organizer
Wetteren, VLG