Over the last three years, the Institute for Palestine Studies’ blog, Palestine Square, has published testimonies, stories, news, and perspectives from writers and journalists in Gaza. This reading list gathers a selection of pieces published in English that document the realities of survival through the genocide and the many ways Palestinians have continued to resist, sustain one another, and hold on to life.
Some pieces bear witness to displacement and loss. Sama Hassan recounts realizing she was alone with her children in an apartment building in the first days of the genocide. Ahmad Al Halaby writes about the pain of ceaseless displacement, while Shahad Ali traces her grandmother’s repeated displacement from Beit Daras in 1948 to Gaza.
Others document efforts to sustain life amid an engineered famine. Mariam Mushtaha describes growing vegetables outside her home, while Areej Al Mashharawi writes about her brother, who was martyred while trying to obtain flour for his family. Ohood Nassar tells the story of a family-run bakery established after its members suffered severe injuries and amputations.
The selection also explores the traces of war and efforts to care and heal: Donya Abu Sitta writes about soldiers’ graffiti across Gaza, Mohammad al-Naami about unexploded devices that continue to threaten lives, and Sojoud Alkhour about Gaza’s cemeteries. Other pieces highlight forms of care and creative survival, including VR therapy for children, art initiatives, and Ayah Annab’s writing on music as a way to withstand the sounds of drones.
These stories document the hardships Palestinians in Gaza have endured and continue to endure, as well as the many ways they resist. We invite you to explore these selections and the rest of Palestine Square’s coverage, published in both Arabic and English.
This is a great resource for stories from Palestine over the past couple of years!