Final Monday, I used to be out on the street making an attempt to catch an web sign in Nuseirat, within the central Gaza Strip – one thing that has change into virtually unimaginable in Gaza. Our dwelling had simply been bombed for the third time through the warfare, and we had been pressured to flee for the tenth time. I had simply misplaced all the things as soon as once more.
My coronary heart was heavy with grief, and all the things round me jogged my memory of the loss that had befallen us.
After I lastly managed to attach, movies, pictures, and audio messages from Italy flooded my cellphone. I noticed crowds of individuals marching within the streets, waving Palestinian flags and chanting collectively for our freedom. I noticed squares full of banners studying “Cease the Struggle” and “Free Palestine”, and faces exhibiting a mixture of anger and hope. They had been making an attempt to ship us a message: We hear you, we stand with you.
I felt immense pleasure.
It was the primary time I noticed pro-Palestinian protests on such a scale and influence. Impartial Italian unions had known as a 24-hour strike, and Italians had responded en masse. Throughout greater than 70 Italian municipalities, folks took to the streets to point out us that they cared about Gaza, that they supported our trigger, that they needed a direct finish to the genocide.
This was not a Muslim or Arab-majority nation. It was a Western nation, whose authorities refuses to recognise a Palestinian state and continues to help Israel. And but, the Italian folks walked out for us, to specific their solidarity with us.
This mobilisation exhibits that solidarity with Palestinians is just not restricted to these near us or from the identical cultural background, however extends to folks from the world over, even in locations the place political elites proceed to help Israel.
In Gaza, these scenes of Italian solidarity unfold from cellphone to cellphone, bringing a ray of hope amid the rubble, starvation, and bombs. Individuals had been forwarding these movies on chat apps, watching with amazement the Italian crowds. These pictures and pictures introduced uncommon smiles to many Palestinian faces. The sensation that we’re not fully deserted, that the skin world is mobilising to cease the warfare, crept in.
Over the previous week, I’ve additionally been following carefully the Sumud Flotilla that’s heading in the direction of Gaza. The Italian authorities put immense pressure on the delegation of fifty Italian residents to surrender. Nearly all of them refused and at the moment are on board numerous ships heading in the direction of us.
I used to be additionally capable of talk with some Italian journalists on board the ship, who shared with me phrases stuffed with encouragement and hope, assuring us that we’re not alone and that there are these persevering with to combat for us, regardless of the distances and challenges.
The protests and the flotilla haven’t been the one ray of hope from Italy that has reached me. In June, after studying a few of my articles, two Italians – Pietro and Sara – and Fadi, a Palestinian residing in Italy, reached out to me.
Their help was not restricted to phrases; it was tangible. They helped me share my writings so they may attain extra folks. In addition they consistently checked on me, asking about me and my household, and sending me messages stuffed with hope and encouragement.
In August, with the assistance of my buddies, I managed to publish my personal story within the Italian newspaper Il Manifesto, sharing our struggling and resilience with 1000’s of readers.
Earlier than the warfare, I didn’t know a lot about Italy. I knew it was a wonderful nation with an attention-grabbing historical past and pleasant folks. However I by no means anticipated to see Italians mobilising for Palestine, taking to the streets in giant numbers in our help.
In the present day, I really feel admiration and appreciation for the Italian folks. Their participation in protests, their private help, and their function in initiatives just like the Sumud Flotilla have actually made me really feel that our trigger is just not distant from the hearts of individuals all over the world, that worldwide solidarity is not only phrases, however actual actions.
I hope to see related protests in different nations, to really feel that the remainder of the world actually sees our struggling and helps our proper to life, freedom and dignity.
To the Italian folks – and all others who mobilise for Gaza, I need to say: We see you, we hear you, you fill our hearts with pleasure.
The views expressed on this article are the writer’s personal and don’t essentially mirror Al Jazeera’s editorial stance.
