Brussels-based Palestinian Ramzi Salem is crowdfunding in bid to rescue his family from Gaza
In the aftermath of the Israel-Gaza conflict that began on 7 October 2023, one Belgian-Palestinian is on an emergency mission to rescue his loved ones from the war zone that has already claimed the lives of 270 members of his extended family. For 28-
In the aftermath of the Israel-Gaza conflict that began on 7 October 2023, one Belgian-Palestinian is on an emergency mission to rescue his loved ones from the war zone that has already claimed the lives of 270 members of his extended family.
For 28-year-old Ramzi Salem, it is an agonisingly constant wait for news of his parents Suhail and Amira and his six siblings who have sought refuge in his uncle’s home in northern Gaza.
“The devastating loss has left us not only grieving for each other but left my family without a home after it was destroyed in the bombings,” explains Salem, who lives in Brussels.
“My family has been huddled together in the north of Gaza as they were not lucky enough to escape to the south where it is a bit safer. This means they are in extreme danger and are just existing, trying to protect each other, living on basic food and supplies.”
With limited access to clean water, electricity and basic amenities, Salem is worried time is running out for his family. Contact with them has been reduced to a few video calls. “As communication is limited, each moment without news fills me with anxiety, fearing the worst. I can only imagine the fear and helplessness they feel.”
Describing his own emotions, he says he has been “trapped in a nightmare since the war began,” and is particularly fearful for his youngest sibling, sister Rahaf, who is nine years old. “The thought of losing loved ones casts a constant shadow on us.”
Salem is trying to pull his family out of Gaza by raising money through a GoFundMe platform to finance the cost of exit visas for them. So far he collected €11,000 of his target figure of €50,000.
Writing poetry as an emotional outlet
The product designer has also found it cathartic to put his thoughts on paper and has written several published poems on the catastrophic war. Salem’s poetry deals with the direct and indirect consequences of the conflict such as anxiety, acute grief, home sickness, overwhelming loss and hunger. He also questions global inhumanity and suffering in his writing.
“My own childhood was one of survival rather than free play,” says Salem. “There were no parks or safe places to gather with friends; instead the streets were often dangerous and even at home we were not safe. The sound of bombings and gunfire happened every day.”
Years before the present fighting, Salem’s home in the Jabalya camp in northern Gaza was destroyed during repeated violent clashes between Hamas and Israel over occupation in the troubled region.
He left Gaza in 2016 after being awarded a scholarship to continue his education in Turkey and later sought asylum in Belgium as a refugee. “I am now proud to be Belgian but my heart has and always will be with my family,” he says.
“Growing up in a war zone means we are shaped by hardship and resilience. The trauma of losing family members including my uncles and cousins and being forced to evacuate from our home several times has left deep scars that affect me to this day.”
The present fighting is the fifth war between Hamas-led Palestinian militant groups and Israel since 2008 and fatalities in Gaza are estimated to be above 35,000 since the war broke out. Although there are calls from within Israel as well as internationally to end the conflict, the possibility of a ceasefire is currently looking elusive.
Salem concludes: “I have no way of returning to Gaza myself but I am hoping Belgium can grant asylum for my family. It is a challenge to ask for crowd funding to get them out and I feel embarrassed to ask but I want to get my family out of Gaza before it is too late.”
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