The Italian people made us smile in Gaza

Last Monday, I was retired successful the thoroughfare trying to drawback an net awesome successful Nuseirat, successful the cardinal Gaza Strip – thing that has go astir intolerable successful Gaza. Our location had conscionable been bombed for the 3rd clip during the war, and we had been forced to fly for the tenth time. I had conscionable mislaid everything erstwhile again.

My bosom was dense with grief, and everything astir maine reminded maine of the nonaccomplishment that had befallen us.

When I yet managed to connect, videos, photos, and audio messages from Italy flooded my phone. I saw crowds of radical marching successful the streets, waving Palestinian flags and chanting unneurotic for our freedom. I saw squares filled with banners speechmaking “Stop the War” and “Free Palestine”, and faces showing a premix of choler and hope. They were trying to nonstop america a message: We perceive you, we basal with you.

I felt immense joy.

It was the archetypal clip I saw pro-Palestinian protests connected specified a standard and impact. Independent Italian unions had called a 24-hour strike, and Italians had responded en masse. Across much than 70 Italian municipalities, radical took to the streets to amusement america that they cared astir Gaza, that they supported our cause, that they wanted an contiguous extremity to the genocide.

This was not a Muslim oregon Arab-majority nation. It was a Western country, whose authorities refuses to recognise a Palestinian authorities and continues to enactment Israel. And yet, the Italian radical walked retired for us, to explicit their solidarity with us.

This mobilisation shows that solidarity with Palestinians is not constricted to those adjacent to america oregon from the aforesaid taste background, but extends to radical from crossed the world, adjacent successful places wherever governmental elites proceed to enactment Israel.

In Gaza, these scenes of Italian solidarity dispersed from telephone to phone, bringing a ray of anticipation amid the rubble, hunger, and bombs. People were forwarding these videos connected chat apps, watching with amazement the Italian crowds. These images and footage brought uncommon smiles to galore Palestinian faces. The feeling that we are not wholly abandoned, that the extracurricular satellite is mobilising to halt the war, crept in.

Over the past week, I person besides been pursuing intimately the Sumud Flotilla that is heading towards Gaza. The Italian authorities enactment immense pressure connected the delegation of 50 Italian citizens to springiness up. The bulk of them refused and are present connected committee assorted ships heading towards us.

I was besides capable to pass with immoderate Italian journalists connected committee the ship, who shared with maine words afloat of encouragement and hope, assuring america that we are not unsocial and that determination are those continuing to combat for us, contempt the distances and challenges.

The protests and the flotilla person not been the lone ray of anticipation from Italy that has reached me. In June, aft speechmaking immoderate of my articles, 2 Italians – Pietro and Sara – and Fadi, a Palestinian surviving successful Italy, reached retired to me.

Their enactment was not constricted to words; it was tangible. They helped maine stock my writings truthful they could scope much people. They besides perpetually checked connected me, asking astir maine and my family, and sending maine messages afloat of anticipation and encouragement.

In August, with the assistance of my friends, I managed to people my personal story successful the Italian paper Il Manifesto, sharing our suffering and resilience with thousands of readers.

Before the war, I did not cognize overmuch astir Italy. I knew it was a beauteous state with an absorbing past and affable people. But I ne'er expected to spot Italians mobilising for Palestine, taking to the streets successful ample numbers successful our support.

Today, I consciousness admiration and appreciation for the Italian people. Their information successful protests, their idiosyncratic support, and their relation successful initiatives similar the Sumud Flotilla person genuinely made maine consciousness that our origin is not distant from the hearts of radical astir the world, that planetary solidarity is not conscionable words, but existent actions.

I anticipation to spot akin protests successful different countries, to consciousness that the remainder of the satellite genuinely sees our suffering and supports our close to life, state and dignity.

To the Italian radical – and each others who mobilise for Gaza, I privation to say: We spot you, we perceive you, you capable our hearts with joy.

The views expressed successful this nonfiction are the author’s ain and bash not needfully bespeak Al Jazeera’s editorial stance.