Update on our STYB store recipient, Motasem Al-Farra.

I hope this message finds you well. My name is Motasem Al-Farra, and I am writing to share with you a glimpse into the extreme hardships I have been enduring here in Khan Yunis, Gaza. For over 19 months, we have lived under relentless war, destruction, famine, and mass displacement. Like many others, I have been trying to preserve a sense of hope and stability—especially for the sake of my family—even while internally struggling with exhaustion, hunger, and despair. It has now been 120 days since the border crossings were closed, placing the Gaza Strip under a total blockade. The closure has completely halted the entry of essential supplies, including food and medicine. This has added yet another layer of suffering to what is already an unbearable situation. Personally, I have been forcibly displaced 11 times. Each time, the journey to find safety becomes more difficult, and the conditions more dire. Currently, we are living in a tent with almost no access to basic needs. The absence of routine, work, or even the simplest activity has deeply affected my mental well-being. In an effort to cope and to support my family, I continue to volunteer and actively seek any work opportunities that might arise, though these are extremely limited due to the collapse of the local economy and lack of liquidity. Despite everything, I am doing my best to hold on. I believe that sharing our stories is one of the few tools left to us, and I hope this message helps communicate even a fraction of what we are going through. Thank you for taking the time to read my message. Warm regards, Motasem Al-Farra Khan Yunis, Gaza