Last Monday, I was out in the street trying to catch an internet signal in Nuseirat, in the central Gaza Strip – something that has become almost impossible in Gaza. Our home had just been bombed for the third time during the war, and we had been forced to flee for the tenth time. I had just lost everything once again.
My heart was heavy with grief, and everything around me reminded me of the loss that had befallen us.
When I finally managed to connect, videos, photos, and audio messages from Italy flooded my phone. I saw crowds of people marching in the streets, waving Palestinian flags and chanting together for our freedom. I saw squares filled with banners reading “Stop the War” and “Free Palestine”, and faces showing a mix of anger and hope. They were trying to send us a message: We hear you, we stand with you.
I felt immense joy.
It was the first time I saw pro-Palestinian protests on such a scale and impact. Independent Italian unions had called a 24-hour strike, and Italians had responded en masse. Across more than 70 Italian municipalities, people took to the streets to show us that they cared about Gaza, that they supported our cause, that they wanted an immediate end to the genocide.
This was not a Muslim or Arab-majority nation. It was a Western country, whose government refuses to recognise a Palestinian state and continues to support Israel. And yet, the Italian people walked out for us, to express their solidarity with us.
This mobilisation shows that solidarity with Palestinians is not limited to those close to us or from the same cultural background, but extends to people from across the world, even in places where political elites continue to support Israel.
In Gaza, these scenes of Italian solidarity spread from phone to phone, bringing a ray of hope amid the rubble, hunger, and bombs. People were forwarding these videos on chat apps, watching with amazement the Italian crowds. These images and footage brought rare smiles to many Palestinian faces. The feeling that we are not completely abandoned, that the outside world is mobilising to stop the war, crept in.
Over the past week, I have also been following closely the Sumud Flotilla that is heading towards Gaza. The Italian government put immense pressure on the delegation of 50 Italian citizens to give up. The majority of them refused and are now on board various ships heading towards us.
I was also able to communicate with some Italian journalists on board the ship, who shared with me words full of encouragement and hope, assuring us that we are not alone and that there are those continuing to fight for us, despite the distances and challenges.
The protests and the flotilla have not been the only ray of hope from Italy that has reached me. In June, after reading some of my articles, two Italians – Pietro and Sara – and Fadi, a Palestinian living in Italy, reached out to me.
Their support was not limited to words; it was tangible. They helped me share my writings so they could reach more people. They also constantly checked on me, asking about me and my family, and sending me messages full of hope and encouragement.
In August, with the help of my friends, I managed to publish my personal story in the Italian newspaper Il Manifesto, sharing our suffering and resilience with thousands of readers.
Before the war, I did not know much about Italy. I knew it was a beautiful country with an interesting history and friendly people. But I never expected to see Italians mobilising for Palestine, taking to the streets in large numbers in our support.
Today, I feel admiration and appreciation for the Italian people. Their participation in protests, their personal support, and their role in initiatives like the Sumud Flotilla have truly made me feel that our cause is not distant from the hearts of people around the world, that international solidarity is not just words, but real actions.
I hope to see similar protests in other countries, to feel that the rest of the world truly sees our suffering and supports our right to life, freedom and dignity.
To the Italian people – and all others who mobilise for Gaza, I want to say: We see you, we hear you, you fill our hearts with joy.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance.
The post The Italian people made us smile in Gaza appeared first on Al Jazeera.
