Hannah Jaffe-Walt (Host)

Hamash family group chat. Yusuf to the group. A SEAL has arrived at the girl's house. Are you asking or telling? Yusuf, I'm telling you. Upside down face. Thank God she's safe. Thank God. May God keep them safe and well. God willing. And then, 5.51 p.m., Asil shows back up in the chat. Asil, I'm fine, guys, but I'm devastated. I got a text, too. I'm fine, she said, but my psyche is broken.

Hamash family group chat. Yusuf to the group. A SEAL has arrived at the girl's house. Are you asking or telling? Yusuf, I'm telling you. Upside down face. Thank God she's safe. Thank God. May God keep them safe and well. God willing. And then, 5.51 p.m., Asil shows back up in the chat. Asil, I'm fine, guys, but I'm devastated. I got a text, too. I'm fine, she said, but my psyche is broken.

Asil has not gone back since. 19 months is a long time. Long enough to move four times, to create a home out of nothing, to start a new business. Long enough for Asil to be pregnant, to deliver her first baby, and for that baby to learn to roll over, crawl, and walk. Long enough to feel certain that this cannot possibly go on any longer.

Asil has not gone back since. 19 months is a long time. Long enough to move four times, to create a home out of nothing, to start a new business. Long enough for Asil to be pregnant, to deliver her first baby, and for that baby to learn to roll over, crawl, and walk. Long enough to feel certain that this cannot possibly go on any longer.

Asil has not gone back since. 19 months is a long time. Long enough to move four times, to create a home out of nothing, to start a new business. Long enough for Asil to be pregnant, to deliver her first baby, and for that baby to learn to roll over, crawl, and walk. Long enough to feel certain that this cannot possibly go on any longer.

The day after this terrible night, Asil sent me one more text. I'm pregnant. I don't know if I should be worried or upset or happy. I don't know what to feel. When Asil and Yusuf shared their messages, I started reading from the beginning and didn't stop for hours and hours until I was finished, hundreds of pages and photos and videos later.

The day after this terrible night, Asil sent me one more text. I'm pregnant. I don't know if I should be worried or upset or happy. I don't know what to feel. When Asil and Yusuf shared their messages, I started reading from the beginning and didn't stop for hours and hours until I was finished, hundreds of pages and photos and videos later.

The day after this terrible night, Asil sent me one more text. I'm pregnant. I don't know if I should be worried or upset or happy. I don't know what to feel. When Asil and Yusuf shared their messages, I started reading from the beginning and didn't stop for hours and hours until I was finished, hundreds of pages and photos and videos later.

After I was done, I kept scrolling back up to the beginning, to how the story starts, two years ago. A family planning a day at the beach. Make a cinnamon roll, Heba, and arrange it here. Heba, I'm scared you'll ruin the cinnamon roll. You're good at baking cake. Bake a cake. Hadil's cinnamon roll is tasty. I'll make a cake and you won't eat it. Who told you we won't eat it?

After I was done, I kept scrolling back up to the beginning, to how the story starts, two years ago. A family planning a day at the beach. Make a cinnamon roll, Heba, and arrange it here. Heba, I'm scared you'll ruin the cinnamon roll. You're good at baking cake. Bake a cake. Hadil's cinnamon roll is tasty. I'll make a cake and you won't eat it. Who told you we won't eat it?

After I was done, I kept scrolling back up to the beginning, to how the story starts, two years ago. A family planning a day at the beach. Make a cinnamon roll, Heba, and arrange it here. Heba, I'm scared you'll ruin the cinnamon roll. You're good at baking cake. Bake a cake. Hadil's cinnamon roll is tasty. I'll make a cake and you won't eat it. Who told you we won't eat it?

Okay, I'll make you a cake. Asil, do you want to bring the nuts? Bring the seeds and nuts. Asil, shall I make you a crepe? No. Asil, shall I make you some pastries? Come on, Asil. Manal and I will work with you. Do you know how to make a cinnamon roll? It felt like a shock being in the presence of a family in this way, in the banality of a moment. I understood, oh, this is what this family was.

Okay, I'll make you a cake. Asil, do you want to bring the nuts? Bring the seeds and nuts. Asil, shall I make you a crepe? No. Asil, shall I make you some pastries? Come on, Asil. Manal and I will work with you. Do you know how to make a cinnamon roll? It felt like a shock being in the presence of a family in this way, in the banality of a moment. I understood, oh, this is what this family was.

Okay, I'll make you a cake. Asil, do you want to bring the nuts? Bring the seeds and nuts. Asil, shall I make you a crepe? No. Asil, shall I make you some pastries? Come on, Asil. Manal and I will work with you. Do you know how to make a cinnamon roll? It felt like a shock being in the presence of a family in this way, in the banality of a moment. I understood, oh, this is what this family was.

This is what was destroyed. ¶¶ Coming up, a refresher. How many pounds are in a kilo again? 2.2 pounds. And other memorable measurements. That's in a minute from Chicago Public Radio when our program continues. It's This American Life. I'm Hannah Jaffe-Walt sitting in for Ira Glass. Today's show, Group Chat.

This is what was destroyed. ¶¶ Coming up, a refresher. How many pounds are in a kilo again? 2.2 pounds. And other memorable measurements. That's in a minute from Chicago Public Radio when our program continues. It's This American Life. I'm Hannah Jaffe-Walt sitting in for Ira Glass. Today's show, Group Chat.

This is what was destroyed. ¶¶ Coming up, a refresher. How many pounds are in a kilo again? 2.2 pounds. And other memorable measurements. That's in a minute from Chicago Public Radio when our program continues. It's This American Life. I'm Hannah Jaffe-Walt sitting in for Ira Glass. Today's show, Group Chat.

We're hearing from Palestinians living outside the West Bank and Gaza, checking in with people there. We've arrived at Act 2 of our program, Act 2, Week 11. Mohamed Mahawish left Gaza a year ago, around the same time as Yusuf, just before the border closed. Mohamed's a reporter. He's lived in Gaza his whole life.

We're hearing from Palestinians living outside the West Bank and Gaza, checking in with people there. We've arrived at Act 2 of our program, Act 2, Week 11. Mohamed Mahawish left Gaza a year ago, around the same time as Yusuf, just before the border closed. Mohamed's a reporter. He's lived in Gaza his whole life.

We're hearing from Palestinians living outside the West Bank and Gaza, checking in with people there. We've arrived at Act 2 of our program, Act 2, Week 11. Mohamed Mahawish left Gaza a year ago, around the same time as Yusuf, just before the border closed. Mohamed's a reporter. He's lived in Gaza his whole life.