Abeer's Cigarettes and Care

Abeer rolls cigarettes for hours daily, still working hard to provide for her family.
Untold Palestine
September 6, 2026
Gaza, Palestine
Story by:
Hamed Sbeata

Every day, Abeer Suhail spends hours rolling cigarettes while her children go to school and spend their day near her.

Abeer, 50, is from Beit Hanoun. Before the war, she owned a beauty salon where she worked for nearly 20 years.

She spent her days with her clients and built a life around a profession she loved, while supporting her family through her work.

Today, Abeer lives with her children in a tent in the Al-Shaab Market area of Gaza, after being displaced seven times since the war began.

She lost her home and her salon and started rolling cigarettes to earn an income for her family.

She works for around six hours a day despite shrapnel injuries to her shoulder and back during the first days of the war. She is still receiving physical therapy.

Between hours of work, her children remain at the center of her day. She watches her son go to school in the same clothes and wishes she could buy him a new pair of shoes or a school bag.

Her eldest son got engaged a few months ago, and Abeer is also trying to provide what he needs for his wedding.

Her work, her home and her daily life have all changed. But Abeer still does what she has always done. She works to provide for her family.