Editor’s note: The following is from a text conversation on October 12, 2025, between Amgad Al-Mahalawi and Doug Hostetter. Previous messages from Amgad were published by Anabaptist World on March 22, 2024, August 11, 2025 and September 2, 2025.

Amgad: I returned to Gaza City with my brothers two days ago, to see how our family home and the homes of some of my brothers have fared. Yesterday I returned to take care of my family here in central Gaza and tomorrow I will go again to help my brothers in Gaza City.

I got some firewood from my house and went south to make food for the kids.

Before the war, my family and I lived in our father’s home with my two unmarried brothers and our parents, while my three married brothers had their own homes.

Our family home has been further damaged since we left a month and a half ago.  The two top floors of our house were badly damaged.  Two of my married brothers had apartments in apartment towers which were completely flattened, and a third married brother lived in a separate home which was partially destroyed.  

My brothers and I are now trying to clear out the rubble of what is left of our family home and make it liveable for all of our families.  

We are so happy that the war has stopped!

But also so sad because of the amount of destruction done by the Israeli military in just one and a half days (between the announcement of the ceasefire, and when it officially came into force) was more than the two full years of great destruction in the entire city of Gaza. The situation is very difficult, and the people are very sad.

In the day and a half before the ceasefire came into force, the Israeli military destroyed all water and sewage stations in Gaza City. The smell of gunpowder is overwhelming in all the streets. There is also the smell of dead bodies under the houses. Mosquitoes bred from the sewage water attack your body. Life is difficult. The destruction must be removed and the streets cleaned.

I really wish I could leave with my children because Gaza needs years of destruction and there is no health or education. I wish to travel with my children to treat them and educate them before their future is destroyed.

Doug: Yes, we will continue to try to get you out for medical treatment. Perhaps when the Rafah crossing is opened at a later stage of the agreement.

Doug: Do you think that the ceasefire will hold, or do you think that the Israelis will re-start the war?

Amgad: All people here worry, as do I.  Trump has said, “Hamas will give up its weapons, and if it does not, we will disarm it.”  I worry that war will again return. . .  I need to leave soon.

Doug: I will ask my family and friends to pray for your family and your people. 

Amgad: Please thank your family and friends for their prayers for the safety of our family and their work for the end of this genocide.  We need everyone’s help to assure that this ceasefire holds, and Israel is forced to end the occupation of Gaza so that Gazans can rebuild a free and peaceful country.