From 'tent life' to soccer matches, creators in Gaza share glimpses of daily life during war

Some creators in Gaza are showing the small joys and routines they experience despite displacement and loss.

Medo Halimy posts videos that are akin to other eye-catching day-in-the-life content on TikTok. But instead of recording from a college dorm or a summer vacation like other 19-year-olds, Halimy is documenting his “tent life” in Gaza to 100,000 followers.

Halimy and a handful of other Gazan youths are using social media to share the moments of respite they experience despite deadly conditions and limited internet access. From organizing soccer matches to recording cooking tutorials, creators in Gaza have used daily vlogs to share a different perspective on what living in a war zone is like.

Creators like Halimy and Mohamed Al Khalidil and the duo Omar Shareed and Mohammed Herzallah have garnered substantial followings with their vlogs on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. They show how they work, do chores, secure food and manage boredom while having access to limited resources. 

Medo Halimy.@medohalimy via TikTokTheir vlogs give an alternative view of survival in Gaza that is personal and more algorithm-friendly compared to more graphic content that social media users have been more accustomed to seeing. 

“I’m showing that us Palestinians are very resilient,” Halimy said in a WhatsApp voice message. “We’re going to survive and live no matter what happens, in whatever circumstances. We can’t be defeated. We’re very strong people, and we’re going to live no matter what.”

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/gaza-creators-vlogs-document-everyday-life-rcna156140

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