Gazini Ganados continues to appeal for help in bringing her Palestinian father and his family out of Gaza, months after she first made a public call for assistance.
The Miss Universe Philippines 2019 titleholder and actress reiterated her plea in an interview with Arab News journalist Baker Atyani published Tuesday, September 15.
Gazini said she has struggled to communicate with her father Ghassan, who is a dentist, since the war between Israel and Hamas began in October 2023.
According to Gazini, her father’s dental clinic was destroyed amid the conflict, while basic necessities, such as water and electricity, have also become difficult to access.
‘Water was cut off, electricity’s cut off. Everything, their livelihood, is destroyed,’ Gazini told Arab News.
‘And what else is there? Even their dreams and hopes are shattered every single day,’ she added.
Gazini acknowledged that helping her father and his family leave Gaza has been difficult, as their evacuation requires coordination and approvals from several governments and diplomatic offices.
‘It has to undergo a lot of interventions and approvals from the government of the Philippines, and the Egypt and Palestine Embassy. It’s very draining to think about,’ she said.
‘But these things that I’m going through are nothing compared to what they’re going through,’ she added.
Gazini said she remains determined to help her family despite the challenges.
‘I’m willing to wait until the end of my breath,’ she said.
The beauty queen also revealed that she lost some endorsement opportunities because of her advocacy for Palestine and her decision to speak publicly about the ongoing violence.
Gazini previously made her appeal for her father and his family during her participation in the Miss Grand International All Stars in May 2026.
Her connection with her Palestinian father has also been a long and complicated journey.
Gazini had not seen her father for years before they were eventually reunited in the Philippines.
She first learned how to communicate with him after her father saw an interview she gave on television following her victory at Miss Universe Philippines in 2019.
During the interview, Gazini showed a photograph of her father and her Filipina mother when they were still together. Her father later used the photo as a way to reach out to her.
The father and daughter finally met in person when he returned to the Philippines in January 2020.
Since then, Gazini has continued to speak about her Palestinian roots and her efforts to help her father and his family amid the conflict in Gaza.