Arab Voices (Episode # 1,191)

Bearing Witness: A Soldier and a Survivor in Dialogue on Gaza

During this episode of Arab Voices, we will air a conversation titled "Bearing Witness: A Soldier and a Survivor in Dialogue on Gaza", a conversation that took place during ArabCon 2025. ArabCon is the National Arab American Convention, an annual gathering hosted by the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), the largest Arab American grassroots organization in the U.S. It brings together thousands of Arab Americans and allies to discuss and address political, social, and cultural issues through workshops, panels, and networking events. The convention also serves to celebrate Arab American identity, build solidarity, and promote social justice for the community. 

ArabCon 2025 was held in September 2025 in Dearborn, Michigan, and it included many discussions and conversations. One of them was titled "Bearing Witness: A Soldier and a Survivor in Dialogue on Gaza". It was a conversation with Hani Almadhoun, Co-Founder of Gaza Soup Kitchen, and Anthony Aguilar, Former Green Beret; Whistleblower, who worked with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. The moderator was Mara Kronenfeld, Executive Director, UNRWA USA.

Hani Almadhoun
Hani Almadhoun is the Senior Director of Philanthropy at UNRWA USA, where he mobilizes resources to sustain UNRWA’s life-saving work for Palestine refugees. In response to the deepening crisis in Gaza, he also co-founded the Gaza Soup Kitchen with his brother, Chef Mahmoud, a grassroots effort that provides hot meals and direct aid to thousands of displaced families — including his own. Hani has become a leading voice for Gaza in American media, with op-eds in CNN, The Hill, The Nation, and the LA Times, and appearances on MSNBC, BBC, PBS, Newsmax, and CNN. He has also taken this advocacy to the halls of power, meeting with senior officials at the White House, Congress, and the State Department to push for humanitarian relief and protection for Palestine refugees.

Anthony Aguilar
Anthony Aguilar was commissioned into the United States Army from West Point. He served for 25 years in the Army as a combat Infantry Officer and as a Special Forces (Green Beret) Officer. Over his military career, he deployed to Iraq 3 times, Afghanistan 3 times, Syria, Tajikistan, Jordan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. He is a highly decorated, combat veteran and has earned a Purple Heart (wounded in combat), a Bronze Star for Valor in Combat (similar to the Israeli Medal of Courage) and an Army Commendation Medal for Valor in Combat (similar to the Israeli Medal of Distinguished Service). He was in Gaza working under GHF from 17 May 2025 through 26 June 2025.

Mara Kronenfeld
As the Executive Director of UNRWA USA, Mara Kronenfeld leads the strategic vision, operations, and fundraising efforts of the nonprofit organization that supports the humanitarian and human development work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in the Middle East. With over 20 years of experience in international development, Mara is a Fulbright Scholar and an expert in designing, implementing, and leading youth development programming in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)