Montreal teen scared for grandmother in Gaza: ‘It really hurts’

A Montreal teenager says he’s concerned about his grandmother living in Gaza amid the Israeli air strikes.

Hamza Elsabawi says he’s scared – and the uncertainty is making things worse.

“She doesn’t have water right now, like barely, just from the tanks on the roof,” said
Elsabawi. “She’s hoping that the government will bring some water because there was nothing.”

Elsabawi says his grandmother, Salwa Murad, has sent a few notes saying she’s afraid.

“We’re scared for her,” he said. “We’re scared if she’s OK or not.”

On Wednesday, Gaza’s only power station ran out of fuel after Israel halted supplies two days earlier. They also cut off electricity, medicine, food, and water in retaliation to Saturday’s attacks from Hamas.

“She said that she only gets electricity like three to four hours a day maximum maybe now it’s worse,” said Elsabawi.

“It’s really hard, like not being able to support them with food or water or like just being there with them.”

More than two million people live in Gaza. The neighbourhood where Murad lives – Rimal in Gaza City – has been on alert for air strikes.

“She wanted to stay at her home,” said the Montreal teen. “Like instead of going out of her house, she said she would rather die at home comfortably than going out and dying elsewhere where she’s not comfortable.

“It really hurts. Because when I see my mum, when she’s hurt, it hurts me a lot.”

Many of the neighbourhoods have been reduced to rubble, with more than 1,000 reported dead.

“If you have family there or people that you know that are facing these trials, please, try to contact them, see if they’re OK. Even if you can’t do anything. Just by being there for them and showing that you care means a lot for them.”