By Majd Othman

KUWAIT: Since October 7, the Middle East has been shaken by horrific news of attacks on Gaza civilians. This deeply affects people abroad who have loved ones and family members living in Palestine/Gaza, subjected to ethnic cleansing and genocide by the Zionist entity. These attacks involve targeted airstrikes on civilian homes, resulting in the deaths of over 3,500 Palestinians, the majority of them were children and women. Additionally, there have been violations of international war laws, with paramedics, journalists and hospitals targeted using internationally-prohibited weapons.

Families of the targeted civilians who live outside Palestine are left anxiously watching the news and social media for updates, as these are the primary sources of information about what is happening inside Gaza. The images and reports are horrifying, with innocent children and women brutally murdered by the Zionist entity.

Kuwait Times interviewed Palestinian expatriates and citizens who have been closely following the news and discussed the mental and emotional impact on them during these trying times. Many of them have experienced anxiety and insomnia in the past few days but have managed to find ways to cope. They shared some advice through Kuwait Times for readers on how to overcome these feelings (all names have been withheld).

One Palestinian expat expressed that her life has come to a standstill as she continuously follows the news in Gaza, even though she has no relatives there. The horrifying reports make her feel guilty for not being able to do more for her people. She supports the resistance movement and can’t lead a normal life or sleep well at night, consumed by thoughts of her people’s suffering. To overcome insomnia, she relies on her faith in the truth prevailing in the end. She also recommends exercise, daily walks, open conversations with experienced individuals in politics to gain a better understanding of the situation and maintaining a high morale to support their loved ones in Palestine.

A Kuwaiti citizen, who usually remains composed in the face of news, particularly concerning Palestine, as he thinks fighting the Zionist entity is an obligation for any Muslim and any humane person, found himself highly angry due to the fierce attack on freedom of speech on social media during the current Gaza crisis. This anger disrupted his sleep and work routine as he was determined to challenge social media platforms that seemed to support the actions of the Zionist entity. He realized that the world is already aware of the situation, and blocking their voices won’t be the end. Patience and a positive outlook helped him overcome the insomnia and life stagnation he initially experienced.

Another Palestinian expat living in Kuwait, who has relatives in Gaza, shared her experience of the first days of the attack, during which she couldn’t sleep or do anything for three days. She was also deeply affected by the number of families in Kuwait who lost their relatives in the Gaza attack. She believes that resistance is the only solution to conquer fear, whether inside Gaza or abroad. She emphasized that living in Kuwait, with its honorable stance on Palestine, provides her with strength, a valuable source of support for an oppressed people.