13.10.2025
A call from the past
On Wednesday 8th October, I received a phone call from Gaza, from my friend Naem Naser
Naem is my friend, my colleague in theatre and my mentor since 1993, a great actor, director and musician. We worked together on many theatres production, as actors on stage. He has been a director of many theatre plays.
Last time I met Naem was on February 2024, two months before leaving Gaza for Egypt. Since then, we were able to talk only once. It seems like ages ago. War time passes so heavily, with the fear, the pain, the agony, the distance, the worry, the nightmares, every second equals years.
Although we studied theatre together on 1993, and although we worked side by side for over 30 years, I always considered him my mentor, my teacher, he was the one who held the wisdom, the calmness and the solutions of any problem we face.
Naem used to work at the sanitation department at the UNRWA until the year 2000 when his health did not allow him to bear this hard work. He had two open heart surgeries and two other surgeries on his back and neck. Since 2005 he hasn’t been able move his hand properly, so he hasn’t been able play music since then. This was like taking a part of his soul from him. Until now he has lived in deep poverty for many long years.
He called me last Wednesday saying that he has been trying to reach me for more than a month. But he is in Mawasi, Khan Younis in a tent and the closest place to access internet is 1 km away, a distance that he hasn’t been able to walk for this last period. Today with the help of his wife and his stick he walked this distance. His wife carried a plastic chair so he could sit and rest from time to time while walking this huge distance of 1000 meters. Finally, he made it and finally he called me. He could not talk, I could not talk, without tears. He suffers from weakness in his heart muscles and he can’t find the necessary medicine any more. He is calling me to hear my voice, to tell me that he loves me. And finally, to ask me to help him find his medicine.
I will do my best, my friend. I will do my best. Please hold on. I love you so much.
