Yellowknife resident fears the worst for family in Gaza as weeks go by with no contact

A war thousands of miles away is causing heartache in Yellowknife.

Rami Kassem, a Palestinian-Canadian who lives in Yellowknife, used to have regular Whatsapp phone calls with family in Gaza but said he hasn't heard from them in over a month. When this happens, Kassem says there are only a few possible reasons for why — and none are good.

"Either because of internet, or because they were displaced somewhere else — or they died. Nobody knows," he said.

The latest Israel-Hamas war has led to tens of thousands of Palestinians dying and a severe humanitarian crisis unfolding. 

"When you see kids under rubble, when you see kids screaming they lost their parents … I feel so sad," Kassem said.

Nazim Awan, former chair of the Islamic Centre of Yellowknife, said the death toll in Gaza includes members of three families in Yellowknife.

"I cannot even imagine or calculate their level of pain," he said.

Awan said that the Muslim community in Yellowknife has been using social media to create awareness about what's happening in Gaza while also donating to aid organizations. The vast majority of Gaza's population is Muslim.

But Awan said this isn't just a religious issue — it's a humanitarian one. 

Abdikarim Yalahow is also a member of Yellowknife's Muslim community. He is originally from Somalia and lost family members there in a civil war. He says watching the conflict in Gaza feels like reopening old wounds. 

"I feel in my heart, I feel for them," he said. 

There have been other groups in Yellowknife raising awareness of the ongoing war, including YK Citizens for Ceasefire. The group has, as its name suggests, called on different levels of government to call for a ceasefire.