148: Dispatch From Gaza, with Ahmed Sarsour

Quick Overview

Palestinian Sudani poet Ahmed Sarsour provided a firsthand account from Deir al-Balah in Gaza, detailing the severe humanitarian crisis, the recent death of his aunt, the difficulty of obtaining electricity and clean water, and the economic distortion where essential goods like sugar reached $100 per kilogram during the siege, while expressing fatigue with the conflict and a desire for the war to end so Palestinians can regroup and rebuild.

Key Points: Ahmed Sarsour, currently in Deir al-Balah (Dalah), Gaza, reported that his aunt passed away at 79 after suffering from illness exacerbated by the collapse of the medical system, noting she had witnessed the Nakba. Sarsour and his family are physically located in Dalah, less than 2 kilometers from the Israeli border, and their neighborhood has experienced proximate violence, including the bombing of a nearby water-selling house and local mosque. The guest expressed feeling guilty about his relative fortune (having a house and sheltering 20 families) while noting that economic disparities cause envy, citing that some people still have electricity while his family has not since October 7th. The economic situation is highly distorted, with rumors suggesting collaborators inflate prices; during a six-month period when borders were tight, 1kg of sugar reached $100, and withdrawing $1,000 in cash resulted in receiving only $667 due to high fees (35% to 50%). Sarsour detailed severe food scarcity, noting his family survived for months on two meals a day, often just rice and salad, and went without meat, chicken, or eggs for eight months, though conditions are slightly improving as prices drop. Regarding the conflict, Sarsour stated that 'resistance is the resistance,' clarifying it is broader than just Hamas, and expressed personal fatigue, believing that given the massive destruction, Palestinians would now accept almost any terms to end the war, regroup, and begin the 5 to 50 years of rebuilding. Sarsour, who taught himself English primarily through watching movies and series, uses poetry as an outlet for expression and to educate himself and others about Palestinian history, integrating learned information into his work.