Elena didn’t know that her attempt to stand in solidarity with the children of Gaza who were injured during the Israeli aggression on the coastal enclave in the summer of 2014 would end up by marrying a Palestinian and embracing Islam and eventually fasting her first Ramadan in Gaza.
Elena a 28-year-old Romanian had moved to Italy and studied a master of criminal law where she met with Muslim families of different origins and became more familiar with the Palestinian cause becoming one of the activists in solidarity with the Palestinians.
A few weeks ago the Romanian solidarity activist arrived in the city of Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip. She married the 33-year-old Mahmoud Al-Buhaisi whom she met on the Internet and shared with him his concerns over the siege of Gaza and his line of work that focused on traditional handicrafts.
Helping the children of Gaza
In order to help the children of Gaza she placed donation boxes in public places in various Italian cities after the aggression on Gaza in 2014 to inform people about the suffering of children yet she received a non-encouraging response from the public.
“I came to Gaza because I was in relationship with Mahmoud. I love the Mediterranean weather. I also believed in Mahmoud’s dream of being an artist and I suffered a lot while crossing the Rafah terminal (into Gaza)” she told the PIC reporter.
Mahmoud Al-Buhaisi masters manufacturing of stones used in decors. He worked with a relative in a private workshop in Egypt and returned years ago to Gaza after the deterioration of the security situation in Egypt.
Law of life
When she was in the preparatory stage at school Elena got a copy of the Quran. The first thing that drew her attention was the beauty of the Arabic calligraphy. Later the architecture of mosques drew her attention more which made her read more about Islam.
In the guest room of the Al-Buhaisi’s house Elena wore an embroidered Palestinian dress and a head cover with details of the Palestinian heritage sewn on it which is somehow similar to the traditional Romanian dress she says.
“I liked Islam as a religion that did not get distorted. I started reading the Quran in 2014. A Muslim family of Asian origin helped me and because I studied law I saw in it a law of life science and everything.”
Before entering the month of Ramadan Elena asked her husband Mahmoud if she could fast. The first day passed hardly. In the last two hours of the fasting day she felt a headache and was thirsty yet she got better in the following days.
Mahmoud said “I explained to her that God has wisdom behind fasting. She searched and read more about Ramadan on the Internet. When she got sick on the fourth day I told her about the break fasting license for patients. She understood the wisdom behind it.”
Italian architecture is of a great interest for Mahmoud. Elena brought metal molds for him from Italy which he is using now to shape the stones he makes in Deir Al-Balah.
Moving to Gaza
At the beginning of her relationship with her husband Elena told her family that he would move to live with her in Italy and ten days after her arrival in Gaza she told them that she was in Gaza which was a surprise to them.
When her family expressed fears over her life in Gaza she told them: “An earthquake took place a few months ago in Italy and I could have lost my life while being away from Gaza. Today I am registered with UNRWA and I have a refugee card and I am proud of my love for Palestine and Gaza.”
Elena is now translating research papers for university students from Italy and Romania and she spends the rest of her time observing birds and trees and monitoring Mahmoud while making his stones.
