I Am - Anwar Zidane

My name is Anwar Zidane. I’m 21 years old, a physical therapy student, and a survivor of genocide in Gaza, Palestine. My life today is a stark contrast to the one I dreamed of just a few years ago. What I once envisioned as a future dedicated to helping others heal has been replaced by a daily struggle to survive.

I have been displaced twice, forced to flee the only place I ever called home. Now, I live with my mother and four siblings in an area that is anything but safe. Warplanes roar above us constantly, day and night. The sound is deafening, and it robs me of sleep. Even when the skies are momentarily silent, my mind doesn’t rest. The fear of what could happen next—where the next bomb will fall—is always with me.

My family and I are six people trying to make it on almost nothing. Food prices have soared so high that even the basics are nearly impossible to afford. A single bag of flour costs $350. Can you imagine that? My mother tries her best to make what little we have stretch, but it’s never enough.

Leaving our home to search for food is like walking into a death trap. We know that stepping outside might make us a target. Yet, staying inside means facing hunger that grows stronger every day. These choices are not choices at all—they are punishments for simply existing here.

I am not sharing my story to seek pity. I am sharing it because stories like mine need to be heard.

Why My Story Matters

I am not the only one living like this. There are thousands of people here in Gaza enduring the same pain, the same fear, and the same impossible choices. What I want you to understand is that we are not just numbers or headlines. We are real people with lives, dreams, and families we love.

When you listen to me, when you share my story, you give me strength. You help ensure that my voice—and the voices of so many others—are not silenced by the violence and the destruction that surrounds us.

I am asking you to not only hear my story but to share it. Speak about what is happening here. Tell others about the genocide, about the families like mine who just want to survive.

What You Can Do to Help

1. Spread My Story: Share it with your friends, your community, and your networks. The more people who know, the harder it becomes for the world to turn a blind eye.

2. Educate Yourself: Learn about Gaza and the realities of life here. Read survivor accounts and follow trusted sources.

3. Advocate for Us: Call on those with power to act—to provide aid, to stop the violence, and to ensure our safety.

4. Support My Relief Fund: I am raising money to help my family evacuate to safety. Below is the link to help us in raising funds for my family's survival.

   https://chuffed.org/project/114969-survival-funds-for-the-zidane-family

5. I hold onto hope because it’s all I have left. I dream of a day when I can return to my studies, help my family thrive, and sleep under a quiet sky. I dream of a day when no child, no mother, no family has to live in fear of warplanes or starvation.

But I cannot do this alone. I need your voice. Together, we can ensure that my story, and the stories of so many others like me, are not forgotten. Together, we can push for change.

Thank you for listening, and thank you for sharing my story.