A cat shelter in Gaza run by Palestinian rescuer Maryam Barq, also known as “The Cat Lady of Gaza,” was hit by an airstrike on Sunday night, the Dutch animal welfare organization Animal Heroes said.
Maryam stayed in the war zone to care for 65 rescued and disabled cats. During the attack, she fled with five cats to her sister’s house, which is only slightly safer. Her father stayed behind to protect the other animals, fearing the plane might come back.
“I’m scared, anxious, and nervous about the cats,” Maryam told Animal Heroes. “I hope God protects them.”
The shelter, supported by Animal Heroes, has been feeding its cats with local food since the war began. Two deliveries of animal food and medicine from the Animals in Gaza Alliance — a group including Animal Heroes, Safe Haven for Donkeys, and Animal Aid Without Borders — have been stuck for months at the Egyptian border. With supplies running low, local food is the only option.
No food left
“Maryam is a young woman who can barely walk due to severe muscle loss caused by malnutrition. She has been dizzy for months and has developed kidney problems,” Esther Kef, founder of Animal Heroes, said in a statement.
“She has been surviving on bread and lentils for more than a year– and even the bread has completely run out. We cannot even begin to imagine what it’s like to live like this,” Kef said.
“This is the second time she has physically been attacked by an airstrike. She survived both attacks. At the same time we are watching helplessly as a brave, selfless young animal rescuer is slowly dying of famine,” she added.
In January, a veterinarian working with Animal Heroes, A’aed Mahmoud Abu Nejem, was seriously injured in a bombing. The explosion hit a veterinary clinic where the team was helping wounded animals. Abu Nejem suffered severe injuries to his legs, hand, and eye.
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