Meet the journalist who distributes formula and nappies to families in Gaza.

Abdul Qader Sabbah is a Palestinian journalist, one of many covering the situation in Gaza right now.

The atrocities he has witnessed are devastating. But amid the loss and grief, he is doing something extraordinary - distributing formula and nappies to displaced families who can no longer afford the necessities. 

Anastasia Michailov, a mother of three from South Australia, is a good friend of Abdul's and was keen to share his story with Mamamia in a bid to raise awareness about the plight civilians are facing amid the conflict. 

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Fadi Al Zant was six years old and suffering from severe malnourishment coupled with cystic fibrosis, when Abdul came across him and began highlighting his plight via his Instagram. 

Watch: the last hospitals in Gaza. Post continues below.

As a result, Fadi was evacuated out of Gaza, by the Palestine Children's Relief Fund in coordination with the World Health Organisation, during the temporary ceasefire.

"I know the case worker for the NGO that helped evacuate Fadi to the south of Gaza and then to Egypt. Her name is Alyssa and she confirmed that it was in fact Abdul who highlighted and facilitated the young boy's evacuation," explains Anastasia. 

"The journalists are a lifeline because without communicating what is happening, no one would know. This is how the injured children are evacuated from hospitals by the large NGOs because people like Abdul publish the story on their socials. A case worker gets the paperwork from them and the contact details of the parents and pushes the evacuation through. Without that initial publication, it wouldn't occur."

Thanks to a whole team effort, Fadi was given the expert medical care he needed. He survived, despite all the odds against him. He was transported from Egypt to the US for treatment in New York's leading children's hospital in May, as per ABC News.

"Abdul is a parent as well, he has three kids. It's just his personality, he wants to help. It's who he is," notes Anastasia.

The impact on Abdul though is understandably intense, she adds. 

"I remember back in May when there was 20 days of really intense airstrikes, I was really worried for him. He messaged me saying, 'I don't think I'm going to survive this one.' Thank god he did, but it was really hard."

"He's lost at least 10 kilos and he's physically burnt out. He is in the north — and continues to report and help his community. The family home was burnt out in December 2023, then completely destroyed by an artillery strike in May 2024. It's just devastating, his family, his parents, his uncle, his brother, they have all lost everything because they lived in a multistorey building like many Palestinian families," she says.

"But Abdul continues to do what is right by his community. He continues to report what is happening, to those who can not leave."

Abdul out the front of his destroyed home. Also, one of the children who Abdul has helped in the shelters by raising money for the boy and his family. Image: Supplied.

The current cost of basic necessities across Gaza is steep.

A can of baby formula costs 50 shekels, equivalent to $20. A packet of nappies is $16.

These prices may sound affordable to some. But in a war zone — where money is hard to come by, lives are constantly at risk, and necessities are in short supply — the cost is overwhelming for Palestinians. 

For example, a kilo of long grain rice before the current war would cost six shekels (approximately $2.50) for Gazans. Now it's 35 shekels, or a whopping $14 for that one kilo, which will only feed a small family for a few days. 

The price of nappies and formula has greatly increased too. 

Abdul regularly visits the refugee shelters to help those who are struggling, as well as hospitals in the region. Ironically, these are some of the most dangerous places in Gaza — both having been impacted by Israeli air strikes. 

Abdul raises the funds to help those in need through various channels, including his social media.

He then buys the goods, and has a youth group who helps him distribute them, says Anastasia. 

In a statement to Mamamia, Abdul says he's not one to speak about his own work. It's clear from our communication that he is a very humble man.

"I am currently working to alleviate the suffering of people by distributing milk and diapers inside shelter centres and hospitals. People here are unable to afford to buy the necessities at the moment," he explains.

With over 156,000 followers and millions of views on some of his videos, it's clear he's making a difference. 

As Anastasia tells Mamamia: "The people's survival, in particular the vulnerable and unsupported, is because by certain individuals taking initiative — Abdul is one of them. I know a number of journalists who are doing exactly the same that he is."

"Northern Gaza is isolated, unsupported, under blockade and is suffering from severe famine. This region has no aid distribution system. Abdul and a number of others are that distribution system. Survival is that fragile. He does this because as he says it's his duty to help his people."

For more from Abdullah, you can visit his Instagram here.

You can also visit Abdullah and Anastasia's GoFundMe, raising money for Palestinian children and families in need, here.

Feature Image: Supplied.