Planting a Garden of Dreams: In Memory of Medo Halimy
Photo of Medo Halimy on Gaza's border, from Medo's Instagram account.
Mohammed was not a number, and he never will be. Writing about him is like writing about every dreamer in Gaza who clings to their ambitions. These dreamers are the same people whose lives are senselessly taken away by the genocide waged by Israel. These dreamers are the ones who are currently suffering from displacement, starvation, and much more. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to meet Mohammed in person before his martyrdom. However, whenever we talk about our goals and plans, he will be the first person to come to mind—an inspiration for all the young people striving to make the world a better place. Although he is no longer with us, his powerful voice continues to resonate within each of us.
Medo Halimy was driven, motivated, and kind—an inspiration for those around him.
Mohammed Saed Oday Al-Halimy (Medo), a 19-year-old student, was known for his determination and positivity, as well as his loyalty and love for his friends. Many of his close friends told us that he was funny and had a kind spirit. He pursued his dreams relentlessly, seizing every opportunity to bring them to life, no matter how small.
He grew up in a well-educated family of eight, including five siblings. His father, Oday Mohammed Al-Halimy, is a 51-year-old engineer, and his mother, Maha Skaik, is a 40-year-old teacher. They have always been supportive and proud of their firstborn's achievements. His oldest sibling and only sister, Rahaf, is a senior in high school. She describes Mohammed as a loving brother who always provides everything she asks for. Zaid, Mohammed’s little brother, sees Mohammed as his role model. Mohammed’s other three siblings are Abd Al Rahman, Ahmad, and the youngest, 5-year-old Zain.
“Mohammed was an ambitious guy,” said Rahaf.
Excelling academically, Mohammed consistently achieved A+’s in every subject. After completing his secondary education at UNRWA schools, he spent his first year of high school as part of the exchange program “YES” in Texas, United States. During the program, he lived with a host family and attended Harker Heights High School. “He [was] good at anything he chooses to pursue," said Sara Al Sweirki, a long-time friend and his peer in the exchange program. “He’s a fast learner and can pick up anything in a heartbeat.”
Medo Halimy shared a message from Palestine with students in Texas. Photo retrieved from Medo's Instagram account.
Returning to Gaza, Mohammed successfully completed high school with a 90% grade and began his university studies at Al-Azhar University to study Economics and Administrative Sciences in the English language section. The 18-year-old Talal Murad, Mohammed’s closest friend, informed us that starting university in Gaza was a backup plan for him. He originally planned to return to the US for university, major in psychology, and then further his studies to become a psychiatrist. “We were working on getting a scholarship to study in the US until the war began and ruined our plans,” said Talal. “Unfortunately, Mohammed didn't survive the war to study the major he loved the most.”
Even before his passing, Mohammed was still reaching out to friends outside of Gaza for help securing a scholarship. Yahya Ashour, a 26-year-old writer, was among those who assisted Mohammed in filling out scholarship applications. “My body and soul are wrapped in sorrow,” said Yahya when he received the news of Mohammed’s martyrdom.
Mohammed had a passion for the gym for as long as he could remember. He remained consistent even during his exchange year in the US, expressing great admiration for the gyms in Texas and their advanced equipment. Despite the genocide, he kept up with training and weightlifting in one of the few gyms that survived the constant bombing in Gaza. “I was surprised when I returned to the gym and saw that the number of visitors was large. People kept coming in and leaving until the last hour of closing,” said Mohammed Fares, Medo’s friend and regular gym visitor who now works as a content creator and freelance translator.
Medo Halimy with friend and fitness influencer Mohd Hatem. July 8th, 2024.
The war has made it incredibly difficult for motivated young people like Mohammed Al-Halimy to maintain physical fitness. In an Instagram post, he shared that he lost approximately 30 pounds due to the lack of nutrients in canned food and the lack of access to resources. This situation has led to a decline in many people’s physical strength and contributed to the spread of diseases such as hepatitis. According to a study published by the UNRWA on January 26, 2024, around 40,000 residents in the Gaza Strip have been infected with hepatitis since October 7, 2023, and the number is only rising as time goes on.
A Long Journey of Displacement
It all began when a building near Mohammed’s family home was hit by several missiles, causing the Halimy family to wake up in shock. More missiles were launched, demolishing their home while they were inside. They quickly fled to a nearby school. “As I write this, I’m crying because the scene was so terrible that words are unable to convey how awful it was,” wrote Mohammed in his diary. He added that the scene resembled one from the video game Call of Duty, and on that day, he had “seen death”—all he could hear while running on the streets were sirens, women screaming, and children crying. All he could see was the smoke from the bombing.
Thankfully, Mohammed’s family survived that evening with only minor injuries. Taking shelter at a UNRWA school, they encountered further challenges—the classrooms were unbelievably overcrowded, and electricity and water were cut off. Then, the Israeli occupation forces instructed the Halimy family to relocate to the south, claiming that the new location would be safe for humanitarian aid. Mohammed described the trip as “the scariest of all” and said that it “crushed [him] internally.” The occupying forces, who had promised the displaced Gazans safety, targeted and killed 150 Palestinians during the operation.
Mohammed detailed the hardships during the Halimy family’s first 75 days of stay in the south in his diary. After the land invasion in Khan-Younis, the family packed their belongings on the 26th of December at 6 am to relocate to Rafah, where they lived in a tent for the first time. The tent offered no protection against the cold or weather changes. Mohammed wrote that it was “so cold at night, so wet when it rains, and so hot when the sun rises.” The rainy days were the most difficult for the family, as the coverings and mattresses would get wet.
In addition, the family could only eat canned food—“fake food,” in Mohammed’s words—for over 50 days. It was the only food they could find or afford. Mohammed’s father, Oday Al-Halimy, worked in the private sector for a company that did not offer salaries during the war. This created substantial financial problems for the family, and they had to spend much of their savings on basic life necessities. Fortunately, they managed to move out of Rafah three days before the May 6th land invasion and didn’t have to spend all the money they had left on urgent transportation.
At Al-Mawasi in Khan-Younis, the family received the sad news that Mohammed’s 11-year-old cousin Ahmad had passed away after being hit by an airstrike in a UNRWA school (Salah Aldin School) in the north of Gaza. Mohammed posted about young Ahmad’s martyrdom, saying: “Ahmad is one of the most loving kids I have ever seen, so kind and so talented with an amazing singing voice. He has been very happy lately and has started to get better grades and become a really good student. It really hurt me. He did not deserve that; he would’ve had an amazing and successful life if it had not been taken away. No one deserves that.”
“Planting Every Day Until This War Is Over" from Medo Halimy's Instagram account.
After the family managed to settle in Khan-Younis, which was the last destination of Mohammed Al-Halimy, they were looking for ways to deal with the everyday sufferings of life in the tent. Mohammed found himself dealing with emotional distress and the fear of losing his life at any moment, knowing that he couldn’t do anything about the situation. He stated clearly that he had nothing to do but to wait for his turn, and would try to live the last days of his life as it should be lived. That was when he started to film his life and post it on social media. He started a series called “Planting Every Day Until This War Is Over,” in which he planted different seeds in empty cans, took care of them, and created a modest garden next to his tent.
The Martyrdom of Mohammed
“Everything happened so fast. It was so hideous,” said Talal about the incident that killed Mohammed. As Mohammed’s best friend, Talal did everything with him, from planning small projects to competing with each other in chess games: “Talal didn’t want me to tell you, but I came out ahead of him on a chess game today,” said Medo teasing Talal in one of his videos. In our interview, Talal told us that Mohammed was a brilliant chess player.
On August 27th, 2024, the Israeli occupation targeted a civilian car, resulting in many injuries. Mohammed and Talal were among those injured. Talal recalled that the explosion occurred at exactly 3 pm—a piece of shrapnel hit Mohammed in the head. People nearby promptly took Mohammed and the other injured individuals to Nasser Medical Complex, where doctors quickly examined Mohammed’s wound and placed him in the recovery room due to the severity of his condition. Mohammed remained in a long coma, during which Talal stayed with the Halimy family, doing his best to calm them down and manage their panic while dealing with his growing anxiety with each passing moment. At 4:00 am on August 28th, 2024, the heartbreaking news of Mohammed's passing was announced. At that moment, the world bid farewell to a truly passionate soul.
Photo of Medo Halimy with Talal Murad.
A World Without Medo
Talal often feels lonely without Mohammed whom he used to do everything with—he was a dear friend to Talal, more like a brother. Talal has now taken upon himself the responsibility of staying beside Mohammed’s family to show support and comfort them in their ordeal. He is still struggling to overcome the shock of losing his closest friend from the Israeli army’s savagery. On the other hand, Talal has confirmed that he will follow his best friend’s steps and keep Medo’s legacies dear to his heart.
In his videos, Medo had spread so much positivity to different corners of the world. Many also assured that Medo’s garden will keep growing: It will keep thriving and continue to grow in a free Palestine.
May his soul rest in peace.
Further Reading:
What Is Fitness Like in a War Zone?
The Beirut Trilogy by Jocelyne Saab
Lost in Time: Serbian Filmmaker Returns to Once-Forgotten Memories