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June 1, 2025 61 mins

Conversations across a divide: People who are outside a war zone check in with family, friends, and strangers inside.

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  • Prologue: The Hammash family’s group chat unfolds over texts, starting before the war. (8 minutes)
  • Act One: When Yousef Hammash left Gaza a year ago, his sisters decided to stay behind. We hear about the toll that separation has taken on Yousef and the sister he’s closest to, Aseel. (30 minutes)
  • Act Two: Mohammed Mhawish, a reporter who left Gaza a year ago with his family, talks to a young woman in Gaza about how she manages her hunger. Israel blockaded all food from Gaza for more than two months. (15 minutes)
  • Coda: Chana gives a short update about Banias, a 9-year-old girl in Gaza she's been speaking with for months. (4 minutes)

Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.org

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