Angelina Jolie shares letter from Gaza survivor: ‘In this war we discovered that there is something worse than death’ |
Hollywood actress, refugee advocate and humanitarian, Angelina Jolie has continued her work on highlighting the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. This time arounf the star shared a deeply moving letter she received from a young woman, shedding light on the ongoing hardships faced by children and people amid the conflict.Taking to her handle, the actress shared photos of children and screenshots of the letter written by a 26-year-old woman who lost her father in an artillery attack and is now living in a tent with her family and her paralysed twin. Jolie wrote, “She told me what daily life is like for her, her family, and her neighbours. I wanted to share it. Their reality continues, even while our attention turns to other devastating events unfolding in the world.“
Angelina Jolie shares letter from woman in Gaza
In her caption, she also posted the first paragraphs of the letter that read, “In previous wars, we thought that loss or death was the hardest thing a person in this country could experience. We believed that this was the highest level of pain and that nothing could be worse than that. But in this war we discovered that there is something worse than death … it is to keep living, but without a spirit, carrying a burden of suffering as heavy as the tons of broken concrete where our cities used to be. About five months after the war ended, life in Gaza today is not only about surviving the bombing, but also a long series of exhausting details that follow us right from the moment we wake up. The small things that used to be very normal have now became extremely difficult.”
Angelina Jolie shares images of letter
Jolie shared screenshots of the whole letter on her handle, which went on to read, “We have forgotten the taste of joy. We miss the moments that made life feel normal.”“When we move between the destroyed streets and houses, our faces and clothes become covered with grey-white dust. At that moment one realizes the painful reality we are living in. We are not only walking between ruins; we are walking between memories. We look at the broken homes and imagine the families who once lived there, the children who used to play in the streets, and the colours that once filled the place. There used to be laughter, life, and the sound of human warmth. All of that has turned into a silent, colourless scene filled with pain and suffering.”Highlighting the plight of the childen in the area, it went on to add, “Many of the children have forgotten what a school looks like, or even how to hold pens or colour in notebooks. Their dreams are restricted to getting a litre of water or a plate of food.”“We are still holding on to what life was like” she says and concludes the note saying, “Despite all of this, people in Gaza are still forever striving to bring back the taste of life and happiness. They still hold on to hope that there will be a better and more beautiful future. They are trying hard to build a life from the ruins of their destroyed lives and crushed dreams. They still carry smiles on their faces, helping and loving one another.“
Angelina Jolie’s humanitarian efforts
Jolie, previously served as a special envoy for the United Nations Refugee Agency, recently visited the Rafah Crossing in January 2026 as part of a humanitarian trip to Egypt. According to a statement, Jolie said, “I spoke to humanitarian agencies who are working hard to do their best to overcome the restrictions and challenges of delivering necessary aid into Gaza. I walked through a large warehouse that was full of items that were denied entry, most of them medical.” She also expressed appreciation for volunteers involved in relief efforts.
