Opinion

From the heart of the Gaza Strip, where the horrors of war rage on and grief and loss consume everything, Gazan women are living their worst nightmares. Amid the rubble of destroyed homes and the faces of loved ones who were killed, they find themselves facing a catastrophic humanitarian situation as they struggle for survival. For more than 21 months, they have been paying the heaviest price for a war they did not choose: insecurity and severe shortages of basic necessities such as food, medical supplies, and hygiene kits.

Since the outbreak of the war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, Medfeminiswiya decided to highlight the stories of women in the heart of Gaza, to amplify their voices and give personal narratives the recognition they deserve. In this article, Rola Abou Hashem laments the possibility of a family losing all its children at once.

Since the outbreak of the war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, Medfeminiswiya decided to highlight the stories of women in the heart of Gaza, to amplify their voices and give personal narratives the recognition they deserve. In this article, Rola Abou Hashem tells us of the daunting task of celebrating her children’s birthdays in the midst of a war that has deprived families of their most basic rights.

Since the outbreak of the war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, Medfeminiswiya decided to highlight the stories of women in the heart of Gaza, to amplify their voices and give personal narratives the recognition they deserve. Rola Abou Hashem recounts the details of harrowing hunger, waiting for death in front of food distribution centers.

About your death, which you believed to be inevitable but had chosen to ignore, you once declared loud and clear: “If I die, I want a loud death. I don’t want to be just breaking news, or a number in a group. I want a death the whole world will hear about…”.

On 16 April, the young Palestinian photojournalist was killed by Israeli airstrikes along with her family in Gaza City. Until then, she had tirelessly denounced the atrocities of war, channelling part of her work into the documentary she is starring in, which will be presented at Cannes in May.

Fatima Hassouna—like every journalist silenced by the Israeli army in Gaza—calls on us not to look away. She gave her life to bring us the truth. We will carry her voice forward, echoing her courage and demanding justice for this unspeakable loss.

Fatima Hassouna. Just a few days ago, this name was totally unfamiliar to me. Yet it could have burst onto the front pages, echoed on the steps of the Cannes Film Festival, shone with pride and courage.

Since the outbreak of the war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, Medfeminiswiya decided to highlight the stories of women in the heart of Gaza, to amplify their voices and give personal narratives the recognition they deserve. Rola Abou Hashem, journalist and reporter for Radio Nisaa FM, continues to document her daily life under the endless bombs.

The extermination of Gazans and the colonisation of their territory by Israel, with the backing of the United States, its main ally, are taking place before our very eyes with complete impunity because the voice of the international community is non-existent, if not indifferent to the Palestinian tragedy. Only civil societies are crying out their indignation and striving to put an end to an ongoing genocide and occupation.