Palestinians hail Kerala woman’s act of solidarity amid Gaza water crisis
Humanitarian Sreereshmi Udayakumar helps deliver 3,000 litres of water to displaced Gaza families amid worsening shortages
KOCHI, India (MNTV) — A young woman from southern India has gained widespread admiration after her grassroots humanitarian effort helped provide drinking water to hundreds of displaced families in Gaza amid Israel’s ongoing war.
Sreereshmi Udayakumar, founder of the Kochi-based Koottu collective, coordinated the delivery of a 3,000-litre water truck to around 250 people in southern Gaza. The shipment, organized through local contacts, reached its destination on Wednesday as communities struggle with acute water scarcity caused by the conflict.
Viral videos from Gaza showed Palestinian women and children holding signs that read, “Thank you Reshmi and her friends from Kerala, India,” as they collected water from the truck. The gesture has drawn global praise online, with many hailing it as an act of solidarity that transcends borders.
According to Mathrubhumi, a leading Malayalam-language daily based in Kerala, Sreereshmi has been in touch with several Gaza families for nearly eight months, providing small-scale aid coordinated through local volunteers.
She said the water delivery was organized after hearing reports of rising jaundice, diarrhoea, and skin infections caused by unsafe wells. “The families now need at least 6,000 litres of water every day,” she said, describing the aid as a collective effort supported by friends and well-wishers across India.
In a social media post, Sreereshmi shared her emotions on seeing the videos from Gaza: “What we could gather has finally reached the hands it was meant for. Every rupee, every prayer, every bit of love truly made its way to the people who needed it most.”
Her initiative has resonated widely in India, where citizens have increasingly organized independent campaigns to support Palestinians amid the humanitarian catastrophe. Analysts say such grassroots actions reflect growing public empathy for Gaza even as the Indian government maintains its close ties with Israel.
Sreereshmi, who continues to coordinate relief efforts from Kerala with her husband Yasir, said she hopes her small act will inspire others to act in solidarity: “When we choose compassion, borders disappear.”
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