From Gaza to Condesa: Palestinian Family Rebuilds Life in Mexico Through Food

Mohammed Abed, a 36-year-old systems engineer from Gaza, still flinches at loud noises. Plane traffic over Mexico City and the rumble of summer storms revive memories of the 2025 Israeli bombing campaign in Gaza, in which an air strike killed his 4-year-old daughter.

Abed arrived in Mexico last spring with 17 members of his extended family, all seeking asylum. Rather than beginning his Tuesdays in fear, he now starts them before dawn: loading a motorized tricycle with hummus, baba ganoush, falafel, shawarma and kebab to sell at an open-air market in Condesa, one of Mexico City’s most cosmopolitan neighborhoods.

Journey From Gaza

The family's route out of Gaza was long and painful. Their efforts began with Mohammed’s father, Kamal Abed, who emigrated to Mexico more than a decade ago and later became a Mexican citizen. After the most recent outbreak of war, Kamal worked to get his relatives out of the enclave. In 2024 he died of a heart attack while trying to organize their evacuation.

Mohammed’s brother Shadi continued the effort. With the help of civil organizations and asylum lawyers in Mexico, travel authorization was secured for 18 family members. After months of paperwork and negotiations, the family crossed into Jordan, transited Turkey and arrived in Mexico City in May 2025, where they have obtained permanent residency.

Rebuilding With Food

Gradually, Abed has become known among local customers who appreciate his cooking and the story behind it. On Sundays he sells at another market, and when he isn’t vending he helps his wife prepare Palestinian feasts she caters for special events.

"In Gaza, during the war, hearing a plane meant that something terrible could happen at any moment," Abed said during a break from selling. "The sound makes me remember everything we went through, and my body reacts before I can even think."

His younger brother Fadi has also found success selling Palestinian food across the city and has built a following on Instagram—about 48,000 followers—under the handle hijo.de.palestina, where he shares videos about the business in warmly accented Spanish.

The family continues to grow: Mohammed is working to bring two sisters out of Gaza, and in May 2025 his youngest son, Yusuf, was born in Mexico City and is a Mexican citizen by birth. Despite the trauma, Mohammed says he wants only a quiet life: "I don't like politics. I want to live, like everyone else, in peace."

Context

Mexico is now home to roughly 160 Palestinians, a small fraction of the nearly 1.9 million people displaced since the Gaza war began in 2023. Most displaced people remain in Gaza, while many others have resettled in neighboring countries such as Egypt and Jordan. For families like the Abeds, reaching distant cities such as Mexico City has meant a chance to rebuild their lives through food, community and perseverance.