Karam

And the Keeping of Hope

I struggled to pull together words for my weekly post last week. The drafts I’m working on are all about me and my life. And I’m here, in my nice little house, with my family around me and it’s peaceful and undisturbed for the most part. It feels trivial to write about it when I look at what so many people are going through and the massive losses and suffering in the world right now.

So this week, I would like to share about Karam. Karam is a 25 year old from Gaza. He lives in Deir El Balah (the middle zone between Gaza and Khan Yunis) with his siblings, his parents, and of course, their three adored cats Jessica, Kitty and Emily. They live in a neighbours house as their own home is half standing and they cannot rebuild.

Karam, who always wanted to be a doctor, graduated as an MD from the Islamic University of Gaza five months ago, over a year late due to the ongoing genocide (he was due to graduate June 2024). He was able to send me a screen shot of his online certificate - the college had been destroyed so there was no paper certificate. He is doing an internship at Alaqsaa hospital, where he works 5 days a week. When I asked him what he likes most about being a doctor he replied that it is trying his hardest to be effective in helping his people, because they deserve life. On the flip-side they see a lot of difficult trauma cases, and there is a lack of anesthesia as there is little/no supply allowed through. He works long hours and it is very stressful. He would one day like to be a surgeon or to work in radiology.

I asked him what life was like before the genocide, and what life is like now. I think is words are much better than mine could ever be here.

“Before all of this, my life was simple in beautiful ways. I loved spending time with friends, walking by the sea, studying, dreaming about my future, and working toward becoming the best version of myself. I enjoyed creating content, making people smile, and sharing small moments of normal life — coffee, sunsets, laughter. Those ordinary things feel extraordinary now. Today, life is very different. Much of our time is focused on basic needs — safety, food, electricity, connection. Simple routines have turned into daily challenges. But even now, we try to hold on to small pieces of normalcy. A shared meal, a joke between siblings, a sunset watched quietly — these moments keep us human. My family is holding on with faith and resilience. Like many families, we are doing our best to support one another emotionally. The uncertainty is heavy, but we try not to let it steal our hope.

My dream for the future hasn’t disappeared. I still dream of stability, of building something meaningful, of helping others through my work, and of living a life where survival is not the main goal of the day. I dream of peace — not in a political sense, but in the simple human sense of safety and dignity.”

There are a few links on Karam’s Instagram for fundraisers people can give to (also linked at the end of this piece). I asked about prices as I know that everything is in short supply and difficult to source. He says food is becoming extremely expensive and inconsistent with even basic supplies costing several times what they used to and being difficult to find. Of course, as he’s three cats (and I have three dogs!) I was curious to know what the cats eat. He tells me “pet food is especially rare, so many people share small portions of what they have with animals. It is hard for everyone, and people rely heavily on community support and donations. The donation links generally help fund food parcels, medical supplies, and emergency needs. They are distributed locally through trusted contacts and community networks. Every small contribution truly makes a difference because needs are constant.”

If you check out his Instagram you’ll see that he strikes quite a balance between the sad news and the reality of surviving with the beautiful resilience of a people who have survived and continue to survive so much. I had a lot of questions for him. He was patient, gracious and generous with his answers. I really hope he knows how many people in this part of the world watch daily and carry him and his people in their minds and hearts in everything they do.

I’ll leave it here, with his words again, “I try to show both realities — the hardship and the strength. I believe dignity is important. We are not only suffering; we are also resilient, creative, loving people. I’m grateful you noticed the lanterns post. Even in darkness, people here try to create light.”

Fundraising Links: Cash App Chuffed Venmo