This is the story of Amjad, a Palestinian man living in Gaza amidst a relentless war. Pax Christi International stands in solidarity with Amjad and the people of Gaza.
607 days.
54,677 lives lost.
125,530 wounded.
11,000 are still missing.
Behind these numbers there is a name, a story… a voice.
One of those voices is Amjad Al-Mhalwi.
He worked with Al-Najd Developmental Forum in Gaza.
He’s also someone who still holds onto hope despite everything happening around him. Through his friend Doug Hostetter, PCI’s UN Representative, we keep receiving updates of his life in Gaza.
Messages filled with fear, strength, and unbelievable courage of his and his family.
We read them over and over.
We wait for the next one.
Let his voice reach you because too many already can’t speak.
Read Amjad’s latest update here below.
February 3, 2025
The Israeli government closed all crossing into Gaza for food, medicine, electricity, fuel and or all commercial goods. This was before the end of the first phase of the ceasefire was completed and before the Israeli government abandoned the second phase, broke the ceasefire and returned to war. There was no advance warning, so Palestinians in Gaza had no chance to stock up on food and medicine before the Israeli Government declaration of the total siege of Gaza. Most people had expected that the ceasefire would be implemented, and the war would end, but it failed and prices rose immediately. Merchants bought all the goods from the markets and raised the prices. Most people in Gaza started to reduce food intake because of the high prices. As flour ran out mothers started grinding pasta and lentils into their flour to make it go further in baking their flat bread.
May 22nd, 2025
The IDF declared the area of Gaza City where Amjad and his family lived to be a combat zone and ordered everyone must leave immediately or be killed.
May 23rd, 2025
Amjad texts: “Heavy bombing that is shaking every place in Gaza now. We are suffering from and safety because every street, house and car is being targeted. I am so sad, I do not know what do. I pray to be able to leave. Here too much bad. I need leave.”
Doug asks: “Where are you and what is your shelter”
Amjad texts: “Thank you, brother, We go a few days ago to my wife’s father’s home. Then I don’t know where go.”
Amjad’s account: “I heard on the news that the Israelis had ordered that we must vacate the place where we live immediately. We borrowed a small cart and loaded it with clothes for the children, diapers, clothes for my wife and clothes for me, along with a few items of food and a bottle of water. We left everything in the house from toys, all the clothes and necessities. We fled on foot to my wife’s father’s four-room house about a kilometer away. My brother-in-law came to help us move our family and some of our belongings. We were very sad to leave our home, toys, clothes and everything we bought new in the house. There were other displaced people already in my father-in-law’s house: his sister with her husband, her children, her mother and her mother’s sister, so now there are 22 of us in his home. We took a room and stayed there because our malnutrition has left us too weak to try to go elsewhere.”
Doug asks: “Would you want to do an article for Pax Christi to help people in the West understand the situation in Gaza?”
Amjad texts: “I will try, but internet so bad. How can anyone help one family that is dying in Gaza? I hope that governments, international institutions, and members of parliaments in the world will help stop the war and help my family leave Gaza for treatment. I hope that anyone will help my family get out of death here and into life. Last week I had extreme fatigue, so went to a medical center to find out why. The doctor told me that I was malnourished. I asked them also to test my wife and my children, and we have all been diagnosed as malnourished. My wife and both of my boys are still suffering from shrapnel and bullet wounds from a year and a half ago, and I can’t even care for my new baby girl, who is a few months old and is already malnourished. Two days ago, a 5-pound battery we use to light our room at night fell from a high shelf and badly hurt my 4-year-old son’s leg. The doctor said he should rest his leg and not walk for 3 weeks. We are all so tired. We need this war to end, and we need to leave Gaza for good medical treatment.”
May 27th, 2025
Doug asks: “How are you?”
Amjad texts: “Fine but no flour.”
Doug asks: “I am so sorry. That must be terrible! Are you still with your father-in-law’s family? Are there any organizations that have food for people?”
Amjad texts: “We are exhausted. No one help for food. Prices here have become the highest in the world. A 25-kilogram bag of flour costs $600. A packet of Pampers costs $70. The price of a small packet is international prices; we cannot afford it. I have a little girl who needs 3 packets a month, and even my boys need them at night. All vegetables are also very expensive. The children all suffer from malnutrition. My family desperately needs safety and medical attention. Pray that we will be able to leave for medical evacuation.”
May 29th, 2025
Doug asks: “The media here says that food was distributed in Gaza by the Israelis and a US government supported NGO today. Have use seen any of it?”
Amjad texts: “The aid distribution was in the south of the Gaza Strip, and we are in the north. The situation here is very difficult. If the war does not stop children will die of hunger and my children will die of malnutrition. You have to stop the war. My wife is also very sad for our children. She is afraid that she again be injured, or the children wounded again. Her family is afraid for her. They said come to their house but the fear, the crowdedness and the lack of food are difficult for everyone. We hope that the war will end now, not soon, because every day that is delayed, we are dying of hunger and fear. Please help us evacuate for medical treatment as we are tired, we will all soon die. I so happy because God send you to me, brother 🖤”
Doug texts: “And I’m so happy to be your brother 🖤”
May 30th, 2025
Amjad texts: “They bombed a house near us and the windows, doors and curtains in our house fell on us. The sound was very terrifying and huge. The Israelis also blew up an entire eight story apartment tower opposite our house. I’m sure it was totally destroyed.”
May 31st, 2025
Doug asks: “Amgad, I have been thinking of you and praying. How are you and your family.”
Amjad texts: “Thanks, but the Israelis have continued bombing, they have not stopped. I pray that a person, a family, organization, or government will adopt my family and bring us to them for medical treatment.”
June 1st, 2025
Doug asks: “I have been thinking and praying for you all night last night. How are you and your family?”
Amjad texts: “Thanks, you so much, brother, for you, your friends and your family. We here are so tried. We hope war stop. We need to leave Gaza because here it is impossible to live. . . 🖤”
Previous Stories by Doug Hostetter
Leave A Comment