Surara Animal Protection Group, led by Saeed Al Eller, continues to rescue animals in Gaza despite the bombing. Meanwhile, Gazans' love for animals is rapidly spreading.
Following Israel's war in Gaza, images and videos Reports of injured animals flooded social media, highlighting how animals are caught in the crossfire of Israel's indiscriminate attacks.
It was founded by Saeed Al Eller, a former civil servant. Surara animal protection activities It is the only animal rescue center in Gaza.
It became a sanctuary and defender for Gaza's animals throughout the war, and the most followed social media account for Gaza's animals.
Due to periodic internet outages across the Gaza Strip, new arab spoke to Annelies Keuleers, Sulala's spokesperson in Belgium, about Sulala's work, the challenges they face, and how you can donate.
Surara Animal Rescue was founded in 2006, when Saeed, who previously worked for the Palestinian Authority in Gaza, began a lifelong commitment to rescuing animals after attending a dog training course in Russia.
For years, Saeed and his friends roamed the streets of Gaza, feeding stray dogs and caring for sick and injured animals. They will take them to the vet or find them a space in a loving home.
During this time, Saeed supported Sulala with a monthly pension from the Palestinian Authority and donations from abroad.
“Before the war, Said worked seven days a week,” Anneliese said. new arab. “They went around Gaza giving advice, taking care of stray dogs and taking them to vets. His phone kept ringing.”
“The main shelter in Surara housed around 400 dogs and was located in the northern part of the Gaza Strip. Israel has since ravaged the area and there is no news about the dogs' welfare. “No,” Annerais said with a sigh.
Saeed also has a home in Gaza City, where he has 40 cats rescued, and another 30 cats in northern Gaza.
After the war, Said also adopted donkeys and horses, and now they are an important means of transportation.
“Israel is killing every living thing in Gaza”
Despite heavy Israeli bombing early in the war, Said traveled north to visit the evacuation center.
However, an evacuation order for Gazans from the north to the south meant that Saeed and his family had to evacuate elsewhere.
Saeed initially sought refuge in Nuseyrat in the central Gaza Strip before fleeing again.
Annalize said. new arab Saeed is still looking for shelter in Rafah, where he says millions of displaced people are crammed together.
“Right now, Saeed is distraught because he has received messages from people in the north asking him to check on the welfare of the animals. He cannot go to the north,” said a visibly upset Anareis.
Remarkably, 10 of Saeed's dogs found their way back to Saeed on their own, a testament to the love and affection they have for Saeed.
According to Annerais, starvation is currently the biggest threat to animals. “We're constantly getting messages that people need animal food, but Saeed ran out earlier this year. We're still waiting for help to come in.”
Egyptian aid trucks were approved in mid-January but are still waiting to enter Gaza to deliver aid.
Another major challenge is that communication failures and poor internet conditions make it difficult for people to report injured animals, but Sulala is raising funds through donations through PayPal and its donor organization, Animals Australia. You can receive it.
Gaza's best friend
Despite the horrors of war, Gazans have taken it upon themselves to care for their animals. Many people adopted stray animals, but others chose to rescue their pets from the rubble and ensure that they shared any leftover food and water without throwing them away.
“Gaza taught the world the true meaning of human beings and showed the world that there is no excuse for ignoring or harming animals. Even in its worst moments, Gaza taught the world the true meaning of human beings and showed the world that there is no excuse for ignoring or harming animals. Even in its worst moments, Gaza We found a way to care for and protect them,” said Gina Nafawi. said a Lebanese animal activist. new arab.
In contrast, Israel torture device About Palestinian prisoners of war.
“What is happening in Gaza shows the hypocrisy of Western organizations that advocate animal rights but are now silent,” Gina said. “The people of Gaza have shown the world that the West is not an example of compassion for animals.”
Dana Hourany is a multimedia journalist based in Beirut.
Follow her on Twitter: @DanaHourany
