In a corner of the internet once dominated by influencers selling spotless kitchens and perfect recipes, an eleven-year-old girl from Gaza began posting her own kind of cooking videos. Her name was Renad Attallah, though millions came to know her simply as “Renad from Gaza,” the little chef with a big dream, a warm smile, and an even larger audience. Her Instagram page, @renadfromgaza, is filled with moments that blend the innocence of childhood with the heavy weight of survival. Now, as of late 2025, Renad is in Europe, beginning a new chapter of safety and hope, one that feels worlds away from where her story began.
From a Kitchen Under Siege
Renad started her page in 2023, when Gaza’s humanitarian crisis was deepening. Food was scarce, supplies were unpredictable, and cooking, something many take for granted, became an act of creativity and courage. In one of her early videos, Renad can be seen cooking over a small gas stove, smiling shyly as she explains how to prepare a meal from a few salvaged ingredients. There’s laughter, there’s invention, and there’s also the quiet subtext of what’s missing. When she couldn’t find flour, she used crushed biscuits. When sugar ran out, she found sweetness in dried fruit. Each video felt like a message from a parallel world: a child teaching herself to live, and to dream, amid devastation.
Her caption on one post read: “This is my dream, to be a chef when I grow up. I love food. I love people smiling when they eat.”
The videos were short, simple, and filmed in natural light, but they spread across the internet like wildfire. Millions began following her journey, captivated by her optimism and her voice.
A Global Symbol of Resilience
By early 2024, Renad’s Instagram had surpassed two million followers. Her page was being shared by celebrities, humanitarian organisations, and chefs around the world. She appeared on news features in CBS, and The Times of India, all highlighting her as a symbol of resilience and hope. What made Renad’s story different was its intimacy. She didn’t talk about politics. She talked about food, and through that, she told the world everything it needed to know. A bowl of lentil soup became a lesson in scarcity. A handful of flour became a metaphor for dignity. A child’s dream to be a chef became a universal call for the right to live and grow in peace. But behind the viral videos was a grim reality. As the war intensified, access to food and safety became nearly impossible. Renad’s posts began to shift in tone. Smiles gave way to exhaustion. The captions, once playful, grew sombre.
In one message, she wrote: “We literally have nothing to eat.”
It was no longer just a cooking account, it was a diary of hunger, loss, and survival.
The Post That Broke the Internet
In mid-2025, Renad posted a simple, haunting message: “Goodbye.”
It appeared suddenly, without context. The word was accompanied by an image of her sitting quietly, eyes lowered. Within hours, comments poured in, tens of thousands of them, from followers begging to know if she was safe. News outlets picked up the story, reporting that the post had caused global concern. Many feared the worst. For weeks, there were no updates. Her account went silent. Then, in early October 2025, she reappeare, smiling again, though visibly changed, with the words: “A new chapter.” Her location tag read Maastricht, Netherlands.
Renad’s New Life in Europe
Renad’s relocation to Europe was first confirmed by Swedish outlet Aftonbladet, which noted she had arrived with her family as part of a humanitarian evacuation. The details remain private, but what’s clear is that she is now safe, enrolled in school, and still cooking. Her Instagram stories show snippets of her new world: cobblestone streets, supermarket shelves, a European kitchen stocked with ingredients she once only dreamed of having. She’s shared glimpses of her first trip to a pastry shop, her delight at tasting fresh strawberries, and her awe at seeing snow for the first time.
One post read: “For so long, I wanted to make cakes with real cream. Today, I did. It felt like magic.”
Her audience, still millions strong, has followed her journey with relief and tenderness. The comments are full of gratitude: “You made it.” “We’re proud of you.” “Keep cooking, little chef.”
From Survival to Celebration
The tone of Renad’s recent videos is noticeably lighter, but the emotional depth remains. She’s no longer documenting hunger; she’s rediscovering joy. In one clip, she whisks batter in a bright European kitchen, giggling as flour dusts her hair. The caption reads: “Cooking feels different when you have everything you need. I will never forget what it felt like when I didn’t.”
That awareness, of what food means when it’s scarce, continues to define her voice. Her recipes are simple and childlike: pancakes, cookies, fruit smoothies. But each one feels like a small victory. She’s still the same Renad: unfiltered, enthusiastic, hopeful. But now, she can breathe.
The Power of a Child’s Voice
Renad’s impact goes far beyond her videos. In a world flooded with war imagery, her story offered something the headlines rarely did: humanity. She didn’t ask for pity; she shared her life. And in doing so, she reminded millions of the power of storytelling, even, or perhaps especially, from a child’s perspective. Humanitarian organisations have cited her account as an example of “digital testimony” firsthand storytelling that transcends news cycles and politics. Activists have also noted how her posts mobilised empathy across divides, inspiring donations to food relief efforts and drawing attention to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza in ways that official reports could not. Her voice became a bridge, between Gaza and the world, between despair and resilience.
Challenges Ahead
While Renad’s move to Europe offers safety, her challenges are far from over. She’s a refugee in a foreign land, navigating new languages, schools, and identities. She carries the memory of trauma, displacement, and loss, burdens no child should bear. Yet her outlook remains defiantly optimistic. In one interview snippet shared online, she said: “When I cook, I feel like I can make the world taste a little better.” Her dream now is to one day attend a culinary school, perhaps in Paris or London, and to open a restaurant called “Lil Chef Gaza” a name she says she’ll keep “to remember where I started.”
A Global Family
Renad’s followers, scattered across continents, have become a kind of digital family. They send her recipe ideas, encouragement, and photos of dishes inspired by her videos. She’s been invited to collaborate with several chefs and humanitarian organisations promoting food relief and awareness. There’s talk of a documentary in the works, and international cooking foundations have offered scholarships for her education. But her guardians have been cautious, prioritising her privacy and well-being. For now, Renad remains a child with a dream, one she’s finally in a place to pursue.
The Legacy of “Lil Gaza Chef”
Renad’s story is, at its heart, about the power of small acts. She never set out to be an influencer, an activist, or a symbol. She just wanted to cook. Yet, through that simple wish, she built something extraordinary: a community bound by empathy. She taught millions that food isn’t just about nourishmen, it’s about connection, memory, and survival. She showed that even in the darkest moments, joy can be a form of resistance. In an era when social media often amplifies outrage or vanity, Renad used it to share kindness; one recipe at a time.
A New Chapter, the Same Heart
Today, Renad’s videos look brighter, her laughter easier. But she hasn’t forgotten Gaza. Her bio still reads: “From Gaza, with love. Children deserve to be children.” That line, simple and profound, captures everything she stands for. She’s a young girl rebuilding her life in Europe, but she’s also a reminder of all the children who can’t yet do the same. The world met Renad in a kitchen without ingredients, where she taught herself to turn scarcity into sweetness. Now, in a safer place, she’s showing us something else, how to rebuild, to heal, and to keep dreaming. The little Gaza chef has become something much bigger: a voice of hope, proof that even in the smallest kitchens, the human spirit can still rise.
