Yusif Kanan

Whether it’s public political outrage, boycotting of corporations, or tragically sad videos, it’s virtually impossible to escape the harrowing reality of the dire situation in Gaza right now. Here are some ways students can help, even 7,000 miles away.

Online Creators

Palestinian content creators and journalists who are displaying the lives of those on the ground in Gaza not only face aerial bombardment, but online censorship as well, according to reporting by Naomi Nix for the Washington Post. Under an uninformed public, democracy cannot function. Therefore, it is absolutely imperative to keep an eye on Gaza, and not let the voices from the city be silenced.

Viewership of Eye On Palestine, an account that began sharing videos coming out of Palestine long before October 7^th, has skyrocketed since the incident, currently with 12.8 million followers. Hibaq Farah wrote for The Guardian that the account has faced bans, but it has since resurfaced and continues to share videos coming from the streets of Gaza.

Motaz Azaiza is a Palestinian UNRWA photojournalist from Gaza and is a popular journalist documenting the war out of Gaza with just about 18 million followers. He has since evacuated, but during the early months of the war he posted his experiences and perspectives from the streets of Gaza with his life frequently in active danger and continues to be a very vocal activist for his hometown.

A small but perhaps very interesting person to follow in the war on Gaza is @gymrat_in_gaza on Instagram. Mohd Hatem documents his daily life from the perspective of the average citizen in Gaza, trying to get daily workouts in and give fitness advice to his followers. His videos include the progress to restore his gym, which fell victim to an airstrike, fixing the water pipeline in his house, and the innovative ways in which he works out in a warzone.

Charities

Humanitarian groups attempting to aid the Gazans are always in need of support. Here are a few:

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency’s (UNRWA) mission statement is to “help Palestinian refugees achieve their full potential in human development under the difficult circumstances in which they live, consistent with internationally agreed goals and standards.” They have been perhaps the leading foundation for AID in Palestine since the conflict began. They employ many Palestinians to help the people of Gaza create safe learning spaces for kids, providing food, getting families to safety, and more.

The United Nations Crisis Relief Humanitarian Fund, according to the website, is “one of the quickest and most effective ways to support urgent relief on the ground.” They are a direct and quick acting charity organization that offers daily, weekly, and monthly donations that go directly to the families of Gaza in the form of food, assistance in hard-to-reach places, and aid to the humanitarian groups on the frontlines.

Next is the United Nations Population Fund, an organization that focuses directly on ensuring safe pregnancies for the estimated 43,000 pregnant displaced women as well as the 73,000 total pregnant women. According to the websites humanitarian page, they have “delivered six mobile maternity units, equipped to provide emergency obstetric care.” As well as general hygiene supplies and deploying mobile clinics.

There are plenty more charities that are reputable and in need of support, such as Doctors Without Borders, and UNICEF.

Whichever side of the war you stand on, the atrocities in Gaza cannot be ignored. Tens of thousands of civilians have been killed, and even more injured. Those who  live are in imminent danger and have been for nearly a year, and whether it’s a donation or the following of an account, there are ways to help, even from afar.