In the midst of the ongoing conflict in Gaza, 10-year-old Renad Ataullah has found a unique way to bring joy to thousands of people. Through her Instagram account, she showcases cooking tutorials that have turned her into a rising food influencer.
Dressed in a red plaid shirt and denim jeans, Renad Ataullah starts her cooking tutorial with a bright smile, preparing “Gazan-style Fattah.” With confidence and skill beyond her years, she cooks on a small, portable stove, using simple ingredients. Her culinary journey, shared on her Instagram page (@renadfromgaza), has gained her a following of over 796K, making her a global sensation. Yet, her cheerful demeanor is set against a somber backdrop—Renad lives in war-torn Gaza.
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Renad currently resides in a shelter in Deir el-Balah, central Gaza, with her mother and sisters. The shelter, home to several displaced families, has become her temporary residence, but that hasn’t stopped her from sharing her love of cooking. Her unboxing videos of aid packages from countries like the UAE and Türkiye have gone viral, each filled with her gratitude and infectious smile. Renad often uses ingredients from these aid packages to prepare her dishes, adding a sense of hope and resilience to every tutorial.
Scrolling through Renad’s feed offers a mix of delicious meals and emotional reflections. In one video, she makes a “War Sandwich,” with the caption, “Limited ingredients, with limitless opportunities for creativity and innovation.” In another post, Renad prepares vermicelli, Gazan-style, and shares a touching memory of her pre-war life. “Before the war, we made this for breakfast on Fridays after a long, hard week of studying… Now, there are no studies, no work, no Friday celebrations—only the vermicelli and the tiredness remain.”
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Renad’s account is managed by her 25-year-old sister, Nourhan Ataullah, a pharmacist. Together, they continue to share not just recipes but glimpses of life in Gaza. Renad also posts about distributing food packages to families affected by the conflict, adding a humanitarian element to her influencer status.
Renad’s journey, though steeped in hardship, reflects her unwavering spirit and the power of creativity in the face of adversity. Her Instagram feed is a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there can be moments of hope, joy, and the pursuit of dreams.
