LOS ANGELES — For the past year, most days have begun the same way for Loay Elbasyouni: checking the news and checking in with his parents via FaceTime.

Elbasyouni is a Palestinian American. He grew up in Gaza on his family’s farm, planting olive trees and spending time at barbecues with his extended family.

He came to the United States to attend university and become a rocket engine design engineer focused on exploring space. When the war between Israel and Hamas broke out, his mission turned back toward his homeland, and helping his parents escape a war zone.

“It’s crazy. It’s hard to describe everything I have gone through in a way,” Elbasyouni said while reflecting on the past year.

His parents, who are Palestinian and German citizens, were unable to get out of Gaza for several months. Elbasyouni reached out to embassies and government agencies across the world working to bring them to safety.

“I met a lot of people, a lot of people tried to help, you know. It was extremely difficult, though. It took me over four months to be able to send an ambulance to pick up my parents. It was a nightmare,” he said.

But, eventually they made it across the border to Turkey. Elbasyouni was there to greet them and hug them. While it was a moment of relief, it was also bittersweet.

“I could not help the rest of the people. A lot of people started messaging me… In some ways, I kind of feel bad because I feel guilty that I couldn’t save more people,” he said. 

Other members of Elbasyouni’s family haven’t been able to get out of Gaza. He said his uncle has been killed in the war along with close to 100 members of his extended family, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

Elbasyouni said the pain of this year is at times overwhelming. Growing up in Gaza, he would often find relief at the coast in the Mediterranean sea — it was a place of respite and joy.

“That all started in Gaza. I love diving, I love surfing, I love swimming. That’s the reason I moved to California, you know? It resembles Palestine,” he said.

Today, the ocean still serves as a place of solace. Elbasyouni is an avid surfer.

“It makes you really disconnect from everything when you’re on the wave. It’s like the world does not exist, and there go all the problems with it,” he said.

As a Palestinian, Elbasyouni said these moments of joy are crucial. He hopes one day to visit Gaza again, the sea he loves and the family farm that he hopes is still standing. He said despite everything, he still has hope in humanity.

“I believe humans are good. I think good will eventually win. That gives me hope,” he said.