“this book shows the world that despite israel's continuous attempts to kill steadfastness in us, palestinians keep going on, never surrendering to pain or death, and always seeing and seeking liberty and hope in the darkest of times. gaza writes back provides conclusive evidence that telling stories is an act of life, that telling stories is resistance, and that telling stories shapes our memories.“ — refaat alareer’s editor’s introduction 

gaza writes back: short stories from young writers in gaza, palestine is a collection of fictional short stories written by young gazans mostly in their early 20s. the book commemorates the fifth anniversary of operation cast lead, a military offensive israel launched on gaza at the end of 2008. the stories in this collection are written from a range of perspectives, from palestinian children and adults to iof soldiers, and act as a declaration and reclamation. 

i don’t want to ramble and spoil any stories because i want everyone to be able to savor them; i also don’t think my opinions on the stories should take up additional space. after the strike ends i highly recommend ordering a copy of this/requesting from your library.