In the final hours before the Gaza ceasefire I asked my friends and family, “What’s the first thing you’ll do?” Through their answers, I came to understand the truce was not a moment of joy but a chance for our postponed grief to finally surface.
Although trained as a social researcher, when the war began in October 2023 I joined the search and rescue team in the Gaza City neighborhood of al-Shuja’iyya. Here are some of my stories of being a first responder during the Gaza genocide.
I always wanted to become is doctor, and my dream was coming true at Al-Azhar University. But Israel left our campus in ruins and has destroyed a generation. Those of us who survive vow to carry the legacy of those martyred forward, and rebuild Gaza.
After 15 brutal months in Gaza, a ceasefire begins with prisoner exchanges. Netanyahu claims victory despite unmet goals, Biden’s strategy falters, and Trump forces a deal. Amid political maneuvers, the Palestinian struggle for liberation remains steadfast.
In the wake of the ceasefire in Gaza, a poem about maintaining militant clarity on what the last year of Zionist genocide means for writers and people of conscience across the world.
In my life, I have been enmeshed in two genocides. The first was when I survived the Holocaust in World War II. The second is the Gaza genocide, which is being carried out in my name and which is exploiting my story to justify the slaughter.
The Biden administration could have delivered the same ceasefire agreement last year, but they refused to exert pressure on Netanyahu.
Since the ceasefire was announced, Israel has continued to bomb Gaza, and Israeli ministers have promised to sabotage the deal. Fear and skepticism have overtaken celebrations in Gaza, as millions wait anxiously for the deal to take effect on Sunday.
In the wake of a ceasefire, many will try to force the discourse into a binary of victory and defeat. But as the dust settles, a true picture emerges: one of the fragility of the Israeli colony, and the transformative power of resistance.
As of Friday a ceasefire deal still hung in the balance. After delays by Netanyahu, Israel’s cabinet finally convened to deliberate on a vote. But even if the deal goes through, all signs are pointing to Israeli plans to sabotage it after phase one.