A Galway-Palestinian family are set to undergo an ambitious 400km walking / running challenge to raise funds to help rebuild the lives and homes for their relatives in Gaza.
Channelling the anxiety and grief they have experienced since the siege of Gaza began 96 days ago, the Mushtaha family, made up of siblings Lora, Durgham and Adam, alongside their mother Ann, are pouring this energy into their ongoing physical challenge, which aims to raise awareness and funds for their paternal family.
“In one of the messages we received from our cousin Linda, she said that there is nowhere you can go in Gaza that does not smell like death,” said Durgham, sharing just one of the heartbreaking realities his family are currently experiencing.
A family history destroyed
Through their late father, Hani, a native to the area, the Mushtaha siblings have an extensive family network in Gaza. The family unit comprising nine aunts and uncles and their wives and husbands, and a plethora of cousins, have been devastated by loss. In December, the family home, a building made up of different apartments which were occupied by the wider Mushtaha family, was destroyed in an airstrike. This attack cost the lives of a cousin’s three children, and resulted in the amputation of their uncle Sami’s leg.
Gathering what they could the family made their way 40km south of Gaza city to the area of Rafah, a region described as being ‘safe’ in the leaflets dropped by the Israeli military.
Grief
On St Stephens’ Day this year, the day after hundreds of millions celebrated the birth of Jesus, an event which began in the Palestinian town of Bethlehem, just 100 kilometres away, Rafah was bombed killing dozens. Among the number killed were Durgham’s uncle, Ghassan, his youngest daughter, a cousin named Tariq, his wife and four of their children. The two surviving children, 10 year old Nada and 16 year old Mohammed have been left with life changing injuries.
“Nada’s face was completely destroyed due to deep lacerations, she will never again look like she did prior to the bombing. Her older brother, Mohammed, is so traumatised by what has happened. I cannot even imagine what he saw and experienced, but he is now hallucinating and seeing things that are not there. His mind has been broken.
“Mohammed has seen four wars in his lifetime. He has never seen life outside of the Gaza Strip and knows no other environment. When this war ends the lasting effects like PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ) will still be there when the next war begins.”
Early memories in Gaza
Having spent the first 10 years of his life in Gaza, the version of the city that exists in Durgham’s memories has been in completely destroyed.
“It is very difficult and is just heartbreaking. Our family home, a home I grew up in is now gone. Cousins we grew up playing with gone as well. Knowing that our family are living through this nightmare, is extremely difficult but it is nothing compared to the things they are going through in Gaza.
“When you listen to the voice messages my family are sending, you can hear a constant hum in the background from the overhead drones. Often you can hear the bombs which are being dropped on different parts of the strip. I cannot imagine what it is like sitting there wondering where it will hit, it is a form of torture.”
While the home he once knew may be gone, Durgham speaks warmly of his time in Gaza, growing up in the warmth of a strong family community.
“There were a lot of happy memories in that home.”
Solidarity
Each member of Durgham’s family in Ireland have committed wholly to their target of walking / running 400 km. The siblings are running five to 10 kilometres daily, and their mother Ann, who is described by Durgham as a ‘trooper’ has been pounding the pavement hard with an eight kilometre walk daily.
Though the date is yet to be confirmed, the final five kilometres will be completed as a group in the Salthill Prom, with wider members of the community invited to join Durgham, Lora, Adam and Ann as a show of solidarity, both for the family and the people of Gaza who face the cold days ahead with no food, no water and no shelter.
On a wider scale, Durgham expressed his wishes for the Irish Government to ‘lead the way in Europe’, and to join the growing number of countries joining South Africa in its International Court of Justice (ICJ ) case against Israel.
“One of the things we should be doing is petitioning the Irish Government to not only call for a ceasefire, but to take concrete steps and make it happen. To join the growing number of countries bringing Israel to the Hague. I think Ireland should lead the way in Europe. The Government should raise its hand and say this is wrong.”
To keep up to date with the campaign and/or to donate, search ‘Lora, Durgham and Adam walk for Gaza’ on Gofundme.com
