Ibrahim Hassouna, a 30-year-old social media influencer from Gaza known as Kazanova, has the words “my mom” tattooed on his wrist in Arabic. His family tragically lost their lives during an Israeli military operation on February 12. Most of his family members, including his parents, brother, sister-in-law, nieces, and nephew, were killed in the attack.
Hassouna, who had built a large following on Instagram with feel-good videos about life in Gaza, struggled to find positivity after the devastating loss. Despite the war and hardships, he tried to spread happiness to his family and followers through his social media posts.
Amidst the chaos and bombings, Hassouna’s mother always wanted him to avoid danger and stay safe. He tried to uplift his family and followers with videos of simple joys, like making falafel sandwiches for kids or taking his mom to the market.
However, tragedy struck on February 12 when the Israeli military carried out a massive bombing campaign to rescue hostages in Rafah. Hassouna’s family was among the casualties, and he had to identify their remains among the devastation.
Despite the unimaginable loss, Hassouna continues to honor his family’s memory by spreading happiness and hope to others. He believes in relying on inner strength and positive energy, a lesson he learned from his mother. As he stands in the graveyard where his family is buried, a rainbow in the sky symbolizes hope for the future.