can you imagine

Rama Duwaji for The Cut magazine Dec. 2025

My name is Fatima, a teacher from Gaza. I used to work in a small school I loved dearly, planting hope in the hearts of children and teaching them that tomorrow could be better. But the war took everything away. My school was bombed, I lost my job, and our home was reduced to rubble. Yet, I refused to give up. I set up a small tent amid the destruction and continued teaching children, showing them that knowledge is a light that cannot be extinguished, even in the darkest times.

My husband, Akram, was my partner and pillar of support. But he was severely injured in an attack targeting civilians. His abdominal injuries are so severe that he can no longer work or even lift basic items. Every day, I see the pain in his eyes and feel the weight of helplessness, but I try to stay strong for him and for our children.

Our eldest, Manar, is four years old, and she’s missing out on her childhood amidst this devastation. Our youngest, Ibrahim, was born under bombardment just a year ago. He has suffered greatly due to the lack of milk and proper medical care. Yet, sometimes, he smiles, and in those brief moments, I find the strength to keep going.

We now live in a fragile tent that doesn’t shield us from the cold or rain. Every day is a new battle for survival. I write these words while holding my children’s hands, with nothing left but my faith in God and the hope that your kind hearts will hear our plea.

Please help us provide milk and food for our children, ease Akram’s pain, and rebuild even a small part of the life the war has destroyed. Every donation, no matter how small, makes a big difference in our lives.

I ask you to share our story and be our support during this harsh and unforgiving time.

Donation link

My name is Mahmoud. I live in Gaza with my family, and we are going through a very difficult financial situation. I tried to create a donation link for my family, but I couldn't find someone to help organize and manage the campaign 🥺💔So my friend Ahmed decided to support me by sharing his own family’s donation link, and we agreed to split the donations between our two families.

Right now, we have almost no food, and the cost of living has become unbearable due to the siege, soaring prices, and the closure of all crossings.Everything has doubled in price in an unimaginable way 🥲🥺

We might be forced to flee to southern Gaza after the announcement of a full invasion of Gaza City 💔

The bombing and destruction never stop — not for a single moment. There is no longer any real life in Gaza. We are just struggling to survive, trying to secure the bare minimum: water and food.

Winter is coming, and we have no winter clothing after our home was destroyed and we were displaced multiple times 😭🥲Please, we urgently need financial help to buy food and store some in case the situation worsens.

This is our donation link.

Please remember: donations are shared between two families. So, for the sake of God, help us, my friend. Save our children, my younger siblings, my parents, and even my older siblings — we are all homeless and hungry 🥺🥲💔

My daughters spend their days standing in long lines for water and bread instead of living their childhood 🥺 My husband was also injured while trying to bring food for us during the famine.

I created this fundraiser with a broken heart, only hoping to protect my daughters and give them a chance to live with dignity, safety, and hope again 🙏

Any donation, no matter how small, can help us survive. And if you cannot donate, sharing our story may help us reach someone who can, but please try to support us with a donation because my campaign is still new and my little girls desperately need your help 🌿

Please try to support and help us.

Please try to share our story and speak about our suffering. 🥹💔

Over the past few days, I asked for your help to cover Eid expenses and to buy medication for my parents. Yesterday, we experienced a very nearby airstrike that caused significant damage, including damage to our tent.

We are living with fear every moment. Every minute feels uncertain, and the war has never truly ended. The situation continues to worsen, and I could lose my life at any moment.Please do not forget my family and loved ones. Any support you can provide, even to help us repair the damage, would mean so much to us. We urgently need your help.These are some photos showing the damage and the area that was bombed. Please support and help us in any way you can. We need everything.😭💔

You can watch a wider video of the area through this link.Click here

Sky Glabush (Canadian, born 1970)

Eclipse, 2022

Oil on canvas

96 x 74 inches

My name is Maram, I am 25 years old from Gaza. I dreamed of a peaceful life, spending my life with my husband and my three children... but the war turned this dream into an impossible one 💔😭. We lived through this genocide with all its painful details and we are still suffering from it😭. We were so happy when the ceasefire was announced, and we returned to our homes in northern Gaza after being displaced for a year and a half in a tent in the south of the Gaza Strip. After repairing a small room in our destroyed house, we began to live there and start over. Unfortunately, the war came back, and it was even stronger than before 💔. Now, we have no shelter or source of income. We have used up all our savings during the war. I know I created my campaign very late, but that's because I have no other means to help my family 🙏. I am completely confident and hopeful that someone here will help us as much as they can and save my family in these tough circumstances 😔.

I know how painful and frustrating it is to start over from scratch, but I hope to get any amount for my family 🥺🙏.

My name is Abdullah Salem, I am 27 years old, married, and a father of two daughters, Iman and Masa. My wife, Sarah, is currently seven months pregnant. Before the war, I worked as a driver and lived a simple but stable life. Everything changed when my car was destroyed, I lost my job, and our home was completely destroyed.

Today, we live in a tent under very difficult conditions, struggling with food shortages, lack of clean water, and rising prices. I am doing my best to provide for my family and protect my children from hunger. We have also lost several family members during the war, and every day is a struggle to survive.

If you are able to support or share my campaign, any contribution—no matter how small—can help us secure food, water, and basic necessities. Thank you for taking the time to read our story and for giving us hope.