Aseel is a Palestinian mother living in Gaza with her young son, Sufyan. Like nearly every person in the Gaza Strip, she has spent the past months navigating bombardment, displacement, and the collapse of basic necessities, such as food, water, medicine, and safety. Her family’s donation campaign is a lifeline.
As of the time of writing, Aseel has raised just over 10% of her 10,000€ fundraising goal. The gap is not about need, but visibility. You can donate to her campaign here.
I reached out to ask what being “pro-Palestine” actually means to her, beyond mere slogans and social media posts. Too often, Western debates focus on abstract questions such as whether a state has a “right to exist” or whether certain forms of resistance are legitimate, all while the voices of Palestinians themselves are treated as optional.
Today marks 78 years since the Nakba. Below, Aseel speaks from within that ongoing reality, offering a small correction to those patterns. Her words appear here as she provided them, edited only lightly for clarity.
What does being “pro-Palestine” mean to you, especially when people outside Gaza use that label?
For me, it means that “solidarity” is not just a slogan but a sense of moral responsibility towards justice. For those on the outside, it means that they are your voice when the world tries to silence you and that they refuse to consider the suffering in Gaza as normal.
Many debate whether “Israel” has the right to exist as a Jewish state. From your perspective, what does this question miss or oversimplify?
This theoretical debate overlooks the “right to exist” of the Palestinians themselves, who were expelled from their land. The question oversimplifies matters because it ignores the reality of colonization and displacement (the Nakba) and focuses on a political entity at the expense of the life and history of an entire people.
What would a just political solution on the ground, not only in theory, look like to you?
From the heart of Gaza, the solution is to end the siege, the bombing, and the bloodshed and to allow freedom of movement in our land. After that, we will move onto reclaiming the rights stolen from our ancestors.
For example, my family and my ancestors own thousands of dunams in the occupied territories, according to official documents that still exist today. This is the least of our rights in our land.
How do you personally distinguish between different forms of resistance, such as BDS, protests, and armed struggle?
Boycotts and protests are forms of global pressure to inform the world of the truth, while resistance is a natural reaction for any people living under occupation.
As someone raising a child in Gaza right now, what do you wish outsiders understood about each?
As a mother from Gaza, I want my son to live a dignified life and complete freedom, not in an open-air prison, and to have his rights to safety, education, and a decent life.
Practically and emotionally, what does the right of return mean to you?
Practically, it’s ending our state of refuge and displacement, having a place we truly belong to, not just a “tent” or a “displacement center.” Emotionally, it’s the dream of returning to our lands and homes, the ones our ancestors spoke of.
What is something you hope people abroad will do today beyond donating and sharing your campaign link further?
Maintaining pressure on their governments, not remaining silent, continuing to speak out about Palestine so that the issue doesn’t become “old news,” and teaching their children the truth.
If a reader gives to your campaign, what is the first thing those funds will go toward?
The donations I receive go towards food, clothing, and other necessities for my child. But it’s scarce and doesn’t meet even the most basic needs, especially with the shortage of some goods and the high prices of what’s available. Also, there’s no other source of income besides this link. I’m trying to make my voice heard around the world so I can achieve what’s required.
As of the time of writing, Aseel has raised just over 10% of her 10,000€ fundraising goal. The gap is not about need, but visibility. You can donate to her campaign here.