Sweet solidarity for Palestine

The scent of cardamom, orange blossom and honey drifted through Shepparton’s Tinto Bakery one Sunday morning in August, carrying with it a message as warm as fresh bread.

That friendship – and humanity – can rise, even in the darkest of times.

Behind the counter, owner Hannah Quick worked at a frantic pace, packing trays of knafeh and ma’amoul as locals queued down the street.

By 11am, every crumb was gone.

“I’d planned to stay open until two,” Hannah said.

“I was blown away by the incredible turnout and generosity.”

The event, Bake Sale for Palestine, was more than a pop-up pâtisserie.

Every dollar from the $1335 raised that morning, along with online donations that pushed the total to $5095.85, went directly to Hannah’s friends in Gaza, supporting their families enduring unimaginable hardship.

“Through this bake sale, I hoped to bring a piece of their heritage to our community, while raising funds to provide much-needed assistance,” Hannah said.

“(The people of Shepparton's) kindness means more than I can express.

“It reminds me of the power of community when we come together for a cause.

“Thank you, truly, to everyone who stood in solidarity and gave their time, energy and hearts.”

Friendship a world apart

When Hannah is on the phone, it’s a rare and fleeting moment of joy for her Palestinian friends living in Gaza.

“I’ve been speaking to them every day,” she said.

“I know we’re privileged not to have to know what that feels like, what they’re living through, but I feel for them.

“I think about it a lot – what’s happening and what they tell me.”

Israel launched its war against Hamas in October 2023 in response to the Hamas attacks of October 7 that month.

Since then, the number of casualties is among the highest of any conflict this century, according to a recent study conducted by international researchers and Palestinian field surveys.

The survey recorded 75,200 violent deaths and 8540 indirect deaths between October 2023 and January 2025.

The remaining citizens are in a state of extreme deprivation and hunger, including Hannah’s friend, 25-year-old Muhanna.

Before the war, Muhanna stood at the threshold of a promising future: living with his family in a beautiful house, nearing the end of his university studies, and thinking of a life in Gaza.

All of this went in vain.

Now, he finds himself crammed into a single, worn tent with nine family members, their lives condensed into an unthinkable struggle for survival.

“I graduated during the war, but without any signs of joy,” Muhanna said.

“I think day and night about how my family and I can get out of Gaza – I no longer want to stay here in the midst of this death and destruction.”

Muhanna describes life in Gaza as “the same deadly routine”, stuck in a grim cycle of searching for water, firewood, and food in a war-torn landscape.

In recent months, his greatest challenge has been securing 2kg of flour each day for his family — a desperate attempt to stave off death by starvation.

“It is a tiring life, and I do not wish it on anyone who reads this,” he said.

“What gives me the strength to continue is my trust in Allah, and my wonderful friends like Hannah.

“The best thing that happened to me in 2025 is getting to know Hannah.

“She is like a sister to me. She asks me how I feel about my condition every day. Her concern makes me feel happy and strong.”

Recipes of resistance

Alongside much-loved almond croissants and morning buns, Tinto’s menu expanded on the day of the bake sale to include traditional Palestinian sweets, with recipes generously shared by Hannah’s friends.

Customers were able to try ma’amoul, a buttery shortbread-style cookie filled with date paste; basbousa, a light cake soaked in syrup; and the well-known favourite, baklava, made with layers of filo pastry, nuts and syrup.

“It’s taken a while to get used to the recipes,” Hannah admitted.

“They speak broken English, and changing it from their traditional cooking methods over the fire to using our ovens has been tricky – but I got there.”

While sweets sold fast, the impact lingers.

The funds will help Muhanna’s family buy food and medicine, pay university fees for his brother, and care for his grandmother.

“Your help to us is evidence of your humanity and your refusal to stand with injustice in this world,” Muhanna said.

“Save what is left of us.”