‘We cannot hear the sirens’
Standing with Gaza’s deaf community amidst violence and starvation
In Gaza, all Palestinians are facing relentless violence and the deliberate use of starvation as a weapon of war. Within this larger humanitarian catastrophe, the deaf community faces unique and often overlooked challenges.
The Atfaluna Society for Deaf Children — a long-standing pillar of dignity, inclusion, and resilience — continues its life-saving work even as it grieves the loss of staff, students and its central facility.
In March 2024, Atfaluna’s center in Gaza City was destroyed in an airstrike, claiming the lives of co-founder Hasham Ghazal and staff member Anwar Al Zaeem. Yet, the community's resilience persists.
One manifestation of this resilience is Atfaluna’s Inclusive Community Kitchen. In the face of severe food insecurity and economic collapse, the kitchen provides hot meals to displaced families and offers employment to youth with hearing impairments. This initiative not only addresses urgent humanitarian needs but also affirms the dignity and leadership of people with disabilities.
Twelve year-old Lona says, "My mother is sick, and I help her take care of my brothers. I come to the kitchen alone to bring food back home. It's the only way we can eat."
Raed, a 42 year old mother, says, "My son has a disability and needs special care. With the lack of food and services, it’s been impossible. Here with Atfaluna's kitchen, we feel supported."
The Presbyterian Hunger Program is honored to support this Atfaluna-led initiative, reflecting our shared commitment to justice, compassion, and human dignity.
As the war drags on, the deaf community is growing. Medical professionals and humanitarian workers report that more children are losing their hearing — whether from the deafening blasts of bombs, untreated infections due to the collapse of Gaza’s health system, or the trauma of constant terror. These new realities make Atfaluna’s mission more urgent than ever.
The March 2025 report, "Reflection on the Gaza War from a Person With and Without Disabilities," highlights the compounded challenges faced by individuals with disabilities in Gaza, including inaccessible shelters, disrupted communication and lack of medical care. These conditions underscore the urgent need for inclusive humanitarian responses.
As people of faith, we are called to not look away. Many deaf children in Gaza cannot hear the sirens that warn of incoming bombs. One child expressed: “It’s a blessing to be deaf, so I am the least to be terrorized when there are bombings.” Yet, the trauma and danger are all too real. Let us listen. Let us act.
How you can help
- Share Atfaluna’s story and speak out against violence and mass starvation.
- Advocate for an immediate ceasefire and unimpeded humanitarian access.
- Take action now by urging policymakers to demand a ceasefire and protection for civilians in Gaza — click here to send your message.
- Pray for protection, justice, peace and nourishment — especially for Gaza’s deaf community.
Eileen Schuhmann is Associate for Global Engagement and Resources for the Presbyterian Hunger Program.
You may freely reuse and distribute this article in its entirety for non-commercial purposes in any medium. Please include author attribution, photography credits, and a link to the original article. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDeratives 4.0 International License.
