I write to say: we are not just numbers in the news; we are human beings who dream, suffer, and resist.

Maryam Al-Nimr

Groundxero | Oct 08, 2025

I am Maryam Al-Nimr, a student and citizen of Gaza, writing on behalf of every Palestinian seeking safety, freedom, and humanity.

In Gaza, the day doesn’t begin with sunlight, it begins with the sound of shelling that shakes the walls and pierces the soul. Nights don’t end in peace, but in anxiety and fear that the worst is yet to come. Life here is not just a challenge it’s a daily battle for survival, for a bite of food, and for a rare moment of safety.

I live in the heart of this hell, where the bombing never stops and fear inhabits every corner. Each nearby explosion awakens an indescribable terror, leaving behind fresh destruction and hearts heavy with sorrow. Even going out to find food or water has become a near-impossible mission fraught with danger; every street could become a target at any moment. Is searching for food and water for our children a threat?

Yet despite all this, the brutal occupation cannot break our will to live, nor extinguish our passion for learning. We continue our education amidst the ruins, driven by hope and supported by those who believe in our right to knowledge and dignity. Education has become a dream we cling to when seeking knowledge has become a crime?

Prices are soaring uncontrollably, and basic necessities are out of reach. My family is injured and in need of medical care, but under siege and with a collapsed healthcare system, even medical attention has become a luxury available only to a few.

Our homes have been destroyed, our safety stolen, and we are left homeless, wandering the streets, carrying our children and searching for a glimmer of light in this dark reality.

I am Maryam Al-Nimr, a student and citizen of Gaza, writing on behalf of every Palestinian seeking safety, freedom, and humanity. I write from a deep, dark place, from a land ruled by oppression and pain, from a defenseless people whose children, women, and elderly are being killed. I write to say: we are not just numbers in the news; we are human beings who dream, suffer, and resist.

We do not surrender. We write, we study, and we try to make our voices heard. The voice of Gaza, the voice of those living under Occupation and Genocide, yet, refusing to be erased.

We call on every free soul in this world to stand with us, to speak the truth, to raise their voice against this injustice. Because silence in the face of this hell is complicity, and our voices deserve to be published, read, and respected.

Help us even with a word, even with a sincere prayer. Be our support and strength. Call for an end to the war and destruction. Our energy is depleted, and we don’t know how much longer we can endure. Help us to fight out of this injustice. Let us live in peace.