The Salama family in Gaza, with whom we are in contact, has fled from Gaza City to another part of Gaza.
On Sunday, 28 September, Salama wrote to me:
Bombing and destruction are widespread in Gaza. More than 90 people lost their lives in 24 hours. Entire families were wiped out.
The situation here is slightly better than in Gaza City. I’m not saying we are completely safe, but our survival rate is 70%, comparable to Gaza, where the survival rate for a person does not exceed 20%.
Some people who came recently tell us that there are massacres taking place and genocide against families in the beach area, in the western area of Gaza City.
The world only gets 10% of the information about what’s happening there.
I asked Salama what information we are missing. He replies:
The real death toll. There are many people trapped under the rubble, and no one can get them out. They are dying slowly. There are large numbers of missing people whose fate is unknown. There are entire families who were killed, and no one knows anything about them.
The next day, President Trump and Netanyahu presented a twenty-point peace plan. I immediately sent a short message about this to Salama, but his response was delayed. Although I feel that everyone in Gaza longs for peace, and I do too, I am becoming increasingly sceptical about the peace plan. For example, will Israel resume the genocide as soon as the hostages are returned? Although it is of course wonderful that the hostages are being returned, Israel has broken ceasefire agreements before. I also question President Trump’s participation in the peace council and the mention of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair as a possible committee member. Why is the administration of Gaza not left to the Palestinians? On the NOS website, I see a video of two Gaza residents wondering why President Trump did not stop the war much earlier and whether he would turn Gaza into a resort and if he is after the oil in Gaza.
However, Salama replied on Wednesday 1 October:
Hello, our dear friend, May. We are fine, thank God. We hope that the ceasefire will be implemented, that this war will end, and all the hostages will return. We hope that the killing machine will be stopped, that the blood will stop, and that the hunger will end.
Unfortunately, yesterday, gunfire fell on our tents, but thank God no one was injured. We are approaching two years of killing and destruction. We lost our home, we were separated from our families and loved ones, we lost our lives and our humanity. My children grew up without us giving them the attention they need. They are great to look at and they help me to ease the suffering I am going through.
I understand this. Salama and his family have endured so much suffering. He also wrote to me recently:
We want a ceasefire and peace in the world. We have seen death here in all its forms and colours.
I find it admirable and inspiring how Salama and his family, after two years of death and destruction, still respond with so much love for peace in their hearts. Together with Salama and his family, I hope that the violence in Gaza will soon come to an end, that humanitarian aid will resume and that the hostages will be released soon. And that Palestinian prisoners who have not been charged will be released. That we will take care of each other.
Recently, brave passengers on the Sumud Flotilla were also kidnapped by the Israeli navy, including Greta Thunberg, and Roos Ykema from the Netherlands. They were unarmed and had come to bring humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza. I believe that helping people in need is always a good deed, and that Greta, Roos and the other passengers should be released soon and should not have been kidnapped. In her video on TikTok, Roos Ykema points out once again that the Netherlands must stop its military cooperation with Israel, impose sanctions and end its complicity in the genocide in Gaza.
Furthermore, on Thursday 2 October, it was announced that the government wants sick children from Gaza to be admitted to hospital in the Netherlands if no help is available for them in the region. On the same day, Salama sent me photos of his neighbour’s children from Gaza who had been injured. One child had been injured in the eye. Another child had huge bullet holes in her back and hand. It was so horrific that it made me feel sick. This violence is appalling; it really must stop! Children should be cherished, and we should treat each other with respect. Let us take care of the children, each other, and nature.
Hopefully, we will soon see a world in which all children can play.
Author: May-May Meijer, founder Peace SOS
Photo: A peace card primarily designed by Becky Nimoy.
Note: This article was published in Dutch under the title: We hopen dat de moordmachine in Gaza gestopt wordt on the Joop BNNVARA website on 2 October 2025.