By: Simon Brooke :: 5 June 2026
In Scotland, we have not seen war in eighty years. It's very distant from us. It's hard for us to relate to the experience of war — we have nothing in our lives to which we can compare it. But the people whose lives are torn apart by war are people just like us, ordinary people, who, before war came, had ordinary lives and ordinary hopes; and now live in hunger and fear among ruins.
We cannot, as ordinary individuals, end wars. All we can do is to put pressure on our governments to put pressure on those who make war to end them. But unless we understand something of the suffering of the people whose lives are affected by war, we won't do this. So I have decided that, over the next few weeks, I am going to invite people from war zones — initially from Gaza, because that is where I am at present in touch with people affected by war — to tell their stories through my blog.
All of these people have been interviewed by the volunteers of Gaza Verified. We know for certain that they are in Gaza, and seen the conditions under which they live. Like everyone in Gaza, they are hungry, and, like most, they have lost everything. All of them need money. I will put their individual giving links at the end of each story.
But is isn't enough to give, and we cannot keep giving for ever. So the war must end. Please, even if you cannot give, write to your MP and urge them to urge the government to take action with Europe and the international community to force Israel to end the war.
The first of the people I have invited is Rania Rizq. She is a mother; before the war she was a farmer. These are her words and her pictures. The translation to English is by online translation services, mostly done by Rania herself, some by me.
On the seashore, before the war, our days were filled with joy and peace. There was no fear or sorrow, only beautiful laughter and unforgettable memories.
We used to enjoy breakfast in our garden with many different dishes, and life was beautiful. Today, because of the war, it has become difficult to provide even a single item for breakfast.
Our home garden, which we used to see from the balcony, was filled with trees and planted with many kinds of fruit. It was a place of beauty and comfort, but the war destroyed it completely, leaving only memories behind.
This is my home while it was still under construction. I dreamed of completing it and living there with my family, but the war destroyed it before it could be finished. We are no longer able to repay the debts we took on to build it because of the harsh circumstances caused by the war.
I had a small pigeon farm that brought me joy and peace. Sadly, the war destroyed everything, and only painful memories remain. These pigeons were part of my life before the war took them away.
This photo was taken during the olive harvest season on my land. Those were beautiful days filled with blessings and abundance, as we gathered the fruits of our hard work and celebrated the goodness of our land.
While celebrating my birthday in our home garden, the moments were filled with joy and warmth, creating beautiful memories that still live in my heart despite everything that changed after the war.
Aya and Kinda by the lake before the war, in days filled with peace and joy, when life was more beautiful and hearts were at ease.
Ady then finished kindergarten.
This is a photo of Kinda when she was born. She weighed only one kilogram. Her delivery was by cesarean section and it was very risky for me due to high blood pressure during pregnancy.
My daughter Aya was honoured with a certificate of appreciation at school in recognition of her academic excellence.
My children are playing in the garden with a Shobi dog that was killed in the war.
After the war, everything in our lives changed. We lost our homes and became displaced, living without shelter or stability.
This is what my home became after the Israeli army took control of it. Everything was destroyed. This is a satellite image. Everything was destroyed.
What we fear today is not only the tragedy we are living through in Gaza, but that our suffering will become just another fleeting news item, passing by without leaving a trace. Behind every tent is a family struggling to survive,and behind every face is a story of patience, pain,and hope. Do not allow the world to become desensitised to this tragedy.
If you are able to support Rania directly, and would like to, you can do so here. However, as I said in my introduction, the most important thing we can all do is to ensure that the war ends, and that will take international diplomatic pressure. Please, even if you cannot give, do write to your MP.
