A humble shelter operating out of a tent remains the last beacon of hope for the injured and hungry animal population in war-ravaged Gaza, even as its workers and volunteers face their own impossible conditions.
“You cannot look at a creature that trusts you and eat in front of it without sharing,” Saeed Al-Aar, who founded the Sulala Animal Rescue shelter in 2006, told NBC News last month.
Despite bombs raining down and a lack of tools, feed and medicine, the shelter has remained operational throughout the two-year conflict, working to help emaciated and injured dogs, cats, donkeys and horses.
At the shelter’s site in Deir al-Balah, several dogs with three legs are among the animals running around, a stark reminder of the toll that the war has taken. In a large tent, veterinarians and volunteers work together to place an IV into the leg of a small, whimpering puppy.
Dr. Hossam Mortaja, one of the few remaining veterinarians in Gaza, is often forced to improvise, using expired medicines or human drugs like amoxicillin when veterinary supplies run dry.
“Animals suffer like humans — they feel fear, even convulsions,” he said. The organization shelters about 70 dogs and 50 cats, many injured or left without owners by the war. During the worst aid shortages, the team shared scarce rice, pasta and canned tuna with the animals, a desperate measure to prevent starvation.
Since the war erupted in October 2023, Gaza’s animal population has plummeted. According to the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor, an estimated 97% of the strip’s livestock has been destroyed through bombing, starvation and looting. This includes cows, sheep, goats and poultry.
Large animals like donkeys and horses have dropped to around 30% of their former numbers.
Stray pets have not been spared; countless dogs and cats were abandoned as families fled, leading to a surge in malnutrition, diseases like parvovirus, anemia and respiratory infections. Veterinary reports describe animals in states of “cachexia” — severe wasting — with weakened immune systems exacerbating outbreaks of gastroenteritis, jaundice and eye diseases. Sulala’s clinic treats these conditions daily.
“People seek comfort in animals. Some find support in dogs, while others find it in cats. During the war, I witnessed many individuals caring for and sheltering animals, both cats and dogs. They reached out to us, and we consistently provided them with food,” Al-Aar told NBC News.
The Sulala Animal Rescue team worked in dire and dangerous conditions as Israel continued its assault on Gaza. Famine conditions in Gaza City have eased since the ceasefire began in October, according to a report from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, the world’s leading authority on food crises, but the situation remains critical, with the entire strip still at risk of starvation.
Veterinarian Muath Talat Abo Rokba, who worked with Sulala and also ran his own veterinary clinic, was reportedly killed by Israeli forces in October, while the ceasefire was in effect. He had been visiting the ruins of his home in the Jabalia area, close to the “yellow line” marking Israeli-held territory, Sulala Animal Rescue said at the time. The IDF told NBC News that it was not aware of the specific incident.
“There are no words we have about losing him,” said Annelies Keuleers, a remote volunteer and spokesperson for Sulala Animal Rescue. “In many ways, he was absolutely irreplaceable.”
The shelter’s Instagram page has attracted a dedicated following amid the conflict, with 180,000 followers, many of whom are located in the West, eagerly watching for updates on Al-Aar, his team and the animals the organization helps.
Keuleers, who volunteers from Belgium, told NBC News that she worries constantly for the safety of the rescue team on the ground.
“Saeed and his children have been in dangerous situations to try and pick up animals that have been left behind during evacuations, that have been starving there.”
She continued: “There’s been a couple of times where I hadn’t heard from anyone for a day or a day and a half. And that’s been scary, as I wasn’t sure how I would know if they were bombed or killed.”
Even with a fragile ceasefire in place, human suffering in Gaza remains acute, compounding the animal plight.
While the ceasefire has improved the flow of some deliveries into Gaza, the World Health Organization warned earlier this month that “humanitarian needs remain staggering, with current assistance addressing only the most basic survival requirements.”
Lucia Elmi, UNICEF’s director of emergency operations, warned that fragile gains made during the ceasefire “could vanish overnight if fighting resumes, adding: “We need sustained humanitarian access, restored basic services, and above all, lasting peace.”
Despite the dangers that persist for Al-Aar and the other veterinarians and volunteers, they remain devoted to helping animals, even at a time when so much human suffering persists.
“They live in fear and horror, just as we do,” Al-Aar said.
