A Young Man Buried Under the Rubble Is Still Living With the Pain

Three years after the bombing that crushed his face, Alaa is still fighting to live without agony.

Apr 15, 2026

Alaa Mazen is 27 years old. For almost three years, since he was 24, he has lived with a level of pain most people cannot imagine. His suffering began when the demonic IDF bombed his family home in Gaza. It was not the first time his family had been targeted. The occupation had tried to kill them multiple times, and one of those strikes finally brought the house down on top of them.

Alaa working in Türkiye before the genocide.

Alaa was buried under the rubble. Metal beams and concrete crushed his face. His tongue was sliced open and later stitched. He lost several teeth and every single molar. He was pulled out alive and taken to Al Shifa Hospital, but the injuries to his mouth were catastrophic.

He has lived with the consequences ever since.

Donate to Alaa's Relief

Three years of unrelenting pain

Alaa says the pain is constant. He cannot sleep. He cannot chew. He cannot digest food properly. The damage is visible in the video he sent. His teeth are shattered, his molars are gone, and his jaw alignment is destroyed.

He has been living like this not for days, not for months, but for three years.

“Honestly, I’m dying a million deaths a day from the pain.”

A dentist examined him recently and confirmed what Alaa already knew. His mouth cannot heal on its own. He needs bridges and implants. He needs reconstruction. He needs relief.

The numbers are impossible for someone trapped in Gaza

The dentist gave him two figures.

$2000 to repair only the most urgent teeth and place a few implants. This would be enough to stop the pain and allow him to eat.
Around $5550 for full reconstruction, including all teeth, molars, and braces. This is the amount required to restore normal function and dignity.

Alaa is not asking for the full amount. He is asking for the minimum. Two thousand dollars to stop the pain that has ruled his life for three years.

But in Gaza, in a tent, under siege, with no income, no functioning economy, and no way out, two thousand dollars is unreachable.

Everyone knows tooth pain. Now imagine losing your entire mouth

Every one of us has had a toothache at least once. A cavity. A gum infection. Food stuck between teeth. A cracked filling. We know how a single tooth can bring us to our knees.

Now imagine every molar gone.

Imagine your tongue cut and stitched.

Imagine your face crushed.

Imagine your teeth shattered.

Imagine living with that pain every day for three years.

This is what Alaa has been enduring since the bombing.

A call to this community

I am turning to this community because it is made up of people from every background and every walk of life. People who care. People who show up. People who understand what it means to respond when someone is suffering. This appeal is for all of you, because every single person here has the power to help.

We have all watched this genocide unfold. We have watched Gaza be destroyed in real time. Whether we wanted it or not, whether we consented or not, our governments funded it. Our tax dollars funded it. That means we carry a responsibility, moral and human, to help the survivors who reach our doorstep.

Alaa is one of them.

Donate to Alaa's Relief

What we are trying to raise

Minimum goal: $2000 to stop the pain
Ideal goal: $5550 to give him back basic normalcy, the ability to chew, speak, and live without agony

This is the largest amount I have ever asked this community to come together for. But I also know what this community is capable of.

Manufacturing Dissent have almost 14,000 subscribers and 17,000 followers. If only a small percentage of our subscribers/followers donated the minimum amount, we could get Alaa the help he needs and deserves.