Updates This Week in Gaza ❤️

This winter in Gaza began with heavy rains and heartbreaking scenes. Families already displaced by years of conflict now face flooding, disease, and freezing temperatures all while living under makeshift tents. Most of Gaza’s population has been forced from their homes. Now, with winter storms, their temporary shelters are collapsing under rainwater. Many tents are filled with sewage-soaked puddles. Parents are watching their children fall sick, without clean water, warm blan

In regions devastated by conflict and displacement, moments of joy can feel like distant memories especially for children. Yet, this week, something unexpected happened in a refugee camp abroad: children smiled wide, pure, joyful smiles thanks to a simple lollipop. The Lily Jay Foundation, known for its humanitarian outreach to communities in crisis, has launched a heartfelt initiative aimed at bringing emotional relief and lightness to young lives burdened by hardship. The c

In a small studio in Ramallah, surrounded by the stillness of occupied Palestine, 82-year-old artist Nabil Anani continues to paint. His hands move with deliberate care, but his heart is fueled by something deeper a movement that began decades ago, born out of struggle and a longing for freedom. Back in 1987, during the tumult of the First Intifada, Anani and three fellow Palestinian artists Sliman Mansour, Vera Tamari, and Tayseer Barakat made a decision that would shape the

Today, the children supported by the Ada Nur Orphans in Uganda are enjoying their meals! Plates are full, and the children are gathered together, eating and chatting as they go through their lunch. Providing regular meals helps the children stay healthy, focused, and energized for school, play, and daily activities. For many, this support ensures they get the nutrition they need each day, making a tangible difference in their lives. Seeing the children sit together and share

This week, rain finally fell over Gaza. Alhamdulillah! However... For families living in tents, the rain was both a blessing and a hardship. The downpour was heavy. Tents flooded. Bedding got soaked. Children shivered as water ran underneath them. Plus, no way to collect the rainwater to drink, despite the desperate need for clean water. Alhamdulillah for the rain… but for families here, it brought no relief. The people continue to endure with sabr that leaves us humbled. May

Dozens of Israeli settlers set fire to a warehouse, farmland, and a Bedouin village in the northern West Bank on Tuesday, injuring several Palestinians. The attacks come amid a spike in violence during the olive harvest, a time when farmers return to their land. Footage shows masked men torching property in Beit Lid and Deir Sharaf, with women shouting in the background. Palestinian officials call the attacks part of a campaign to intimidate communities and create a hostile e

For nearly 40 years, Dar al-Taqwa has been a cultural and spiritual landmark in London — a place where Muslims, scholars, students, and newcomers have gathered to learn, connect, and find books found nowhere else. Founded in 1985 by Egyptian publisher Samir el-Atar, the shop has served as the UK’s only non-sectarian Islamic bookshop, offering everything from political works and cultural studies to children’s books and Qur’an translations in many languages. Since Samir’s passi

Sometimes, it’s the smallest gestures that leave the biggest impact. At the Ada Nur Orphans, where children face challenges no child should endure, even a simple treat can bring smiles that last far longer than the sugar rush. Today, an activity was organized to bring lollipops to the children at Ada Nur. While it may seem small, the joy it brought was enormous. Faces lit up, laughter filled the room, and for a few moments, the children were able to experience something every

We had just sent a truck full of water to Gaza. Every drop counted families were waiting, lining up with empty bottles, hoping to quench their thirst. But then… the truck emptied. The water was gone. And in that instant, desperation took over. People began to fight. Not out of anger, but out of survival. Mothers clutched their children, tears streaming down their faces. Men shouted in fear and frustration. Children cried out, reaching for the last remaining drops. The scene w

In a small hospital room in East Jerusalem, 16-year-old Yamen Al-Najjar lies in a bed he rarely leaves. His voice is weak, his pain constant. “Life is hard… I miss home,” he whispers. But returning home now could mean death. Yamen was evacuated from Gaza just two days before October 7, 2023. He suffers from a rare bleeding disorder that doctors in Jerusalem have struggled to treat. His mother, Haifa, has spent two years pleading for a foreign hospital to accept him. Now, all

Over 270,000 refugees in Sudan are currently living in desperate conditions. Families who have fled conflict and disaster are sleeping on the bare ground, exposed to the scorching sun by day and the chilling cold at night. Children huddle together for warmth, mothers worry constantly about their families’ safety, and elders struggle to survive without even the simplest comforts. In a world where basic shelter is a luxury, these families face unimaginable challenges. But toget

Today, Gaza felt a little brighter. When our food aid arrived, the streets usually heavy with silence began to fill with soft laughter and curious footsteps. Children hurried forward, eyes shining with a kind of hope that has been waiting quietly inside them for far too long. The moment they opened the boxes, everything changed. Their smiles grew wide, their voices louder, their spirits lighter. It was as if, for a little while, the weight of the past months lifted, replaced

Today, the streets of Gaza were alive with laughter and joy. Thanks to the Lily Jay Foundation, clean drinking water reached families who have gone too long without it. Children ran with bottles in hand, their faces lighting up with wonder and relief. Mothers watched with tears, grateful for a small but monumental moment of safety and care. This was more than water. It was life, dignity, and a message that no one is forgotten. Every drop delivered by the Lily Jay Foundation c

New York City made history. Zohran Mamdani a proud Muslim, a Democratic Socialist, and the son of immigrants became the youngest mayor in a century and the first Muslim and South Asian to lead America’s largest city. His victory wasn’t just political. It was personal. It was about belonging, dignity, and breaking barriers in a world still healing from years of division and fear. From Outsider to Mayor A year ago, few believed Mamdani could win. He faced powerful opponents, i

Today, 10,000 liters of clean water were delivered to a refugee camp in Sudan, a lifeline for hundreds of families facing unimaginable challenges. For these children, parents, and elders, access to clean water is not a convenience; it is survival. Every drop matters, and every delivery brings relief, hope, and dignity to lives that have been disrupted by conflict and hardship. Because of military restrictions, the Sudanese army did not allow our team to enter the camp with ca

C entral Sudan is witnessing yet another wave of heartbreak. In just a few days, more than 2,000 people have been forced to leave their homes as intense fighting engulfs towns and villages across North Kordofan. What remains behind are abandoned houses, shattered markets, and families split apart by fear and desperation. This is not an isolated moment it is part of a war that has been tearing Sudan apart for more than two years. What began as political tension in 2023 between

Uzbekistan has placed Islamic heritage at the heart of learning with the opening of a new children’s educational hub inside the Center of Islamic Civilization in Tashkent. Created to connect young learners with the depth of Islamic culture and scientific legacy, the children’s hall offers an immersive and interactive experience. Through multilingual exhibits in Uzbek, Russian, and English, children can explore the history, achievements, and contributions of great Islamic scho

Clean water is life and in Gaza, it remains a precious, scarce resource. Today, the Lily Jay Foundation delivered vital water aid to families who rely on this support every day. Our team arrived with trucks full of clean water, reaching parents, children, and elders who wait patiently to refill their bottles and containers. Every drop brings relief, comfort, and a sense of hope to communities that continue to rebuild their lives amidst challenging conditions. Seeing children

Today our team "Lily Jay Foundation", marked the beginning of something that Gaza has waited for far too long: the slow, painful, necessary process of cleaning up a city shattered by war. Every street our team stepped into told the same story buildings torn open, homes collapsed, metal twisted into shapes that don’t look real. The destruction is overwhelming. It stretches as far as the eye can see, and the weight of it is impossible to ignore. As the cleanup began, one discov

In el-Obeid, North Kordofan, what should have been a solemn moment of mourning turned into tragedy. An attack on a funeral claimed 40 lives, leaving families shocked and devastated, their grief replaced by terror. The city, still under government-aligned forces, now braces for further violence as the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) advance. Thousands have already fled nearby towns, seeking refuge from the relentless conflict. Witnesses report mass graves, summary exec

In Gaza, where survival has become a daily battle, even water the most basic human need has turned into a rare treasure. Families are forced to walk long distances just to find a few drops safe enough to drink, while the sounds of conflict echo through what’s left of their homes. On November 5, 2025, the Lily Jay Foundation reached Gaza with a truck filled with clean water and compassion. Our team crossed through devastation to deliver relief to families who had been left wit

On November 5, 2025, New York City witnessed a historic milestone: Zohran Mamdani was projected to become the city’s first Muslim mayor. For Muslim communities across the city and beyond, this victory represents more than politics it is a moment of visibility, validation, and hope. For decades, Muslims have faced prejudice, discrimination, and underrepresentation in governance. From the dark shadow cast by the 9/11 attacks to everyday Islamophobia, the sense that “there is no

For the fourth day in a row, Gaza awoke to the sound of explosions instead of silence. What was meant to be a fragile cease fire turned once again into tragedy as Israeli airstrikes hit the northern Gaza Strip on Friday, killing three Palestinians, according to the local health authorities. Residents describe a night filled with fear the roar of jets overhead, the shaking of buildings, and the cries that follow. These were ordinary families, already displaced and struggling t