Faith, Hope, and Resilience in Gaza: A Conversation with 16-Year-Old Yusuf Abu Hattab

In a world saturated with headlines and statistics about Gaza, the human stories behind the numbers often go unheard. For the first time, we sit down with Yusuf Abu Hattab, a 16-year-old YouTuber from Gaza who documents life under siege through his channel and Instagram, @reachyusuf.

His raw, heartfelt videos have reached hundreds of thousands worldwide, offering a rare glimpse into the daily struggles, unwavering resilience, and profound faith of the Palestinian people. In this powerful conversation, Yusuf shares what life is like on the ground his fears, his hopes, and how storytelling has become a way to cope and connect with the world.

Who is Yusuf Abu Hattab?

At just 16 years old, Yusuf Abu Hattab has become a voice for a generation navigating unimaginable circumstances. Born in the UAE, he is proudly Palestinian and has lived in Gaza for the past four years. Before the conflict, he was a regular teenager who loved school, scrolled through TikTok, and created content for his YouTube channel.

Today, he continues to create, but his content has a new purpose: to humanise his people. When asked who he is, his answer is simple and profound:

“Yusuf is a normal 16-year-old.”

“Just because I’m in Gaza doesn’t mean I’m any different than you.”

”I still dream of the same things you’re probably dreaming of.”

“There’s no other way to put it.”

This simple statement cuts through the political noise, reminding us that behind every headline is a person with dreams, hopes, and a story worth hearing.

A Glimpse into Daily Life Under Siege

What does a “normal day” look like when survival is the primary goal? Yusuf explains that there is no stable routine. A day can begin with an evacuation order, forcing his family to move for the fourth time in just two months.

On a day without an evacuation order, the routine is a grim cycle of securing necessities:

Finding Food: This involves either waiting for aid or navigating markets where prices have soared, making it difficult to afford essentials.
Preparing Meals: With no cooking gas, starting a fire with wood is the only way to cook.
Securing Water: Filling up water gallons is a constant, laborious task.

“The day in the life isn’t that exciting,” Yusuf admits. “It’s a war… It’s pretty boring, I would say.” This stark reality highlights the monotonous, grinding nature of survival, where every day is a test of endurance.

The Power of Storytelling as a Lifeline

How YouTube Helps Cope with War

In the profound loneliness of war, where friends are displaced or lost, content creation has become Yusuf’s lifeline. It serves two critical purposes:

A Source of Income: Life in Gaza is incredibly expensive. YouTube provides an income that helps him feed his family when prices are high.
An Emotional Outlet: War creates immense rage and grief. Making videos allows him to process and express his feelings. “When you’re in a war, you’re going to have lots of rage,” he explains. “Making a video on how I get water… just releases [it] from me.”

Humanising the Palestinian People

Yusuf’s most significant impact has been humanising a narrative often reduced to numbers. Mainstream media reports “10 people died,” but rarely shares the stories of those ten individuals their dreams, their families, their lives.

Yusuf’s videos bridge that gap. By showing his personal struggle to get water or find food, he gives a face to the statistics. “When people look at me, there’s like hundreds of thousands of people that are just like me,” he says. “I’m giving a voice for them.”

Faith and Resilience Amidst Chaos

When asked how he endures, Yusuf’s answer is immediate and unwavering: his faith.

“If it weren’t for Allah, I don’t think I would be here right now.”

He finds comfort in the Quran’s promises, such as “With hardship comes ease” and “Allah doesn’t burden a soul more than it can bear.” These verses remind him that he is strong enough to handle what he is facing and that relief will come.

This reliance on faith is a common thread among the people of Gaza, who have taught the world profound lessons in patience (sabr) and trust in God (tawakkul). It is this spiritual grounding that allows Yusuf to maintain a “growth mindset,” viewing his trials not as punishments, but as lessons from God.

A Message to the World

On International Solidarity

Seeing protests and support from around the globe makes a tangible difference. “Seeing support from people outside makes us feel heard and makes us feel seen,” Yusuf shares. It breaks through the feeling of isolation and reminds the people of Gaza that the world has not forgotten them.

A Response to Disinformation

To those who deny the reality of the suffering in Gaza, Yusuf’s message is blunt and powerful: “Have you not seen enough? Have you not seen enough kids starving? Have you not seen enough fallen houses?”

He believes that for those whose hearts are closed to the overwhelming evidence, no amount of proof will suffice. His very existence and the raw footage he shares are a testament to the truth on the ground.

Hopes for a Future Beyond Conflict

What does Yusuf look forward to when the genocide is over? His answer is a heartbreakingly simple list of things many of us take for granted:

To be free.
To go to a cafe or a restaurant.
To return to school.
To see a house that isn’t destroyed.
Above all, to reunite with his father in the UAE, whom he hasn’t seen in four years.

“If I had to say one thing that I really look forward to, it’s reuniting with my dad,” he says, a poignant reminder of the human cost of this conflict.

How Would Yusuf Like to Be Remembered?

Yusuf’s final message is a plea for his humanity to be recognised above all else. He doesn’t want to be remembered as a victim or a hero, but simply as a person.

“I would like people to remember me as a human… I’m just a teenager, just like you. If you have a son or a brother, I’m just like them. A normal 16-year-old who was forced into these circumstances.”

Yusuf Abu Hattab’s story is a powerful testament to the strength of the human spirit, the anchor of faith, and the importance of bearing witness. He teaches us gratitude, resilience, and the true meaning of hope. His voice, and the voices of countless others in Gaza, deserve to be heard, amplified, and acted upon.

Here’s how you can help:

Follow and Share: Follow Yusuf on Instagram at @reachyusuf and share his content to amplify his voice.
Donate: Support credible charities providing aid on the ground. Yusuf works with Human Concern International, but many organisations are doing vital work.
Stay Informed: Continue to seek out firsthand accounts from Palestinians to understand the human reality beyond the headlines.@reachyusuf and share his content to amplify his voice.

By listening with an open heart, we can honour their stories and stand in solidarity with their struggle for a life of dignity, freedom, and peace.