Women's Voices from Gaza

Palestinian refugees in Gaza have lived in camps for five generations, experiencing hardship and uncertainty. In the absence of voice or official histories, oral narratives handed down from generation to generation bear witness to life in Gaza since Nakba-the catastrophe of dispossession. These histories maintain traditions, keep names of destroyed villages alive, and record stories of fighting for dignity and freedom. The Women's Voices from Gaza series honours women's unique and underrepresented perspectives on the social, material, and political realities of Palestinian life. In A White Lie, the first volume in this series, Madeeha Hafez Albatta chronicles her life. Among her remarkable achievements was establishing some of the first schools for refugee children in Gaza. Her story will benefit Middle East scholars, social justice and human rights advocates, and all who want to know more about the modern history of Palestine.

I Can Do Anything presents an intimate and poignant portrayal of life in Palestine through the compelling oral history of Um Baseem Al Kafarneh, an Indigenous farmer from Beit Hanoun, Gaza. Born in the 1930s in historic Palestine, Um Baseem vividly recounts her joyful childhood amid Gaza's orchards. Her testimony demonstrates the rich social, cultural, and political fabric of Palestinian village life and the profound connection to ancestral land. After the 1948 Nakba destroyed her rural community and displaced its people, she describes the challenges of living in a volatile border region and the difficulties of life under Israeli military occupation. Despite violence and loss, including her sister's tragic murder, Um Baseem's resilience shines through. Her unwavering devotion to her land, even in the face of occupation and personal tragedy, underscores the enduring strength and spirit of her people. This is the fourth book in the Women's Voice from Gaza series. An oral history portraying life in historic Palestine through the compelling life story of an Indigenous farmer from Beit Hanoun, Gaza. An oral history portraying life in historic Palestine through the compelling life story of an Indigenous farmer from Beit Hanoun, Gaza. 3 maps, 5 B&W photographs, foreword, introduction, chronology, notes, glossary, bibliography "The Women's Voices from Gaza series is exceptional, offering insights into modern Gaza's social history. It will attract a wide readership in Palestine studies and gender studies, as well as individuals interested in the Palestine question." Rema Hammami, Associate Professor of Anthropology, Birzeit University "What an extraordinary project! We don't hear enough from Gaza. Through the oral histories of Palestinian women who have lived, witnessed, and built lives and futures for their families and communities-in the face of devastating force and continuing injustices-we learn Palestinian History through the intimate daily ways individuals have lived and made it." Lila Abu-Lughod, Joseph L. Buttenwieser Professor of Social Science, Columbia University "Gaza City is one of the most ancient cultural centres on the Mediterranean, and its people have long been a backbone of the Palestinian national movement. How Gazan women describe their lives under continual siege and military attack reveals their capacity for bearing hardship and undertaking initiatives in the public sphere. Ghada Ageel, a Gazan, and Barbara Bill have ably used oral history to bring readers the lived reality of women of different backgrounds, ages, and occupations." Rosemary Sayigh, anthropologist and oral historian • Preface: Introducing Women's Voices from Gaza • Introduction • I Can Do Anything • 1. Childhood • 2. The British Mandate and Life in Palestine Prior to the Nakba • 3. The Nakba • 4. The Egyptian Administration and the 1956 Invasion • 5. Marriage • 6. The 1967 War and its Atrocities • 7. The First Intifada and the Loss of Khaled • 8. Living and Raising Children Under Occupation • 9. This Land is My Essence, My Heart, and My Eternal Love • 10. The Second Intifada, Separation, and Resilience (we are here to stay) • Chronology of Events in Palestine • Notes • Glossary • Bibliography

Hekmat Al-Taweel (1922–2008) was a native Palestinian Christian from Gaza City whose narrative unearths a version of history long excluded from mainstream discourse and provides an unfamiliar perspective on Muslim–Christian relationships. Her stories about life in Gaza highlight shared history, vibrant culture, and cherished traditions. Al-Taweel continued her education after marriage, sought community volunteer work, worked as a teacher and supervisor, and committed to activism throughout her life, all of which contradicts widespread Western orientalized stereotypes of Arab women. She also shares insights into life in Gaza during the British Mandate period as well as the 1948 Nakba and its aftermath. This is the third book in the Women's Voices from Gaza Series, which honours women's unique and underrepresented perspectives on the social, material, and political realities of Palestinian life. Hekmat Al-Taweel's narrative sheds light on Muslim–Christian relationships in Gaza and contradicts Western stereotypes. 3 maps, 15 B&W photographs, foreword, introduction, chronology, notes, glossary, bibliography Sales Tips: • Come My Children is the third book in the Women's Voices from Gaza series. The series honours women's unique and underrepresented perspectives on the social, material, and political realities of Palestinian life. • Each book in the series is centred around an oral narrative from a Palestinian woman who was invited to recount her life story from before and after the Nakba, the dispossession of Palestine in 1948. • Each book also has an introductory chapter written by the volume editors, relevant maps, a chronology of events in Palestine, a glossary, and a bibliography. • The series shows a richness, versatility, resistance in everyday lives in Palestine, throughout different époques. The result is a rich canvas, which succeeds in combining the personal and the political. This creates a legacy for future generations, who are able to assess that era, in these times and places, through a personal touch. • Hekmat Al Taweel was a native Palestinian Christian from Gaza City. Her reflections provide an unfamiliar perspective on Muslim–Christian relationships in Gaza, highlighting shared history, culture, customs, and traditions. • Al Taweel's lived experiences, continuing education after marriage, volunteer work, activism, and aspirations portray an image that contradicts widespread western orientalised stereotypes of Arab women. • Hekmat Al Taweel is a reflective, knowledgeable and perceptive woman who weaves her story with her perspectives on the historical events she lived through. • She highlights shared history, culture, customs, and tradition, as well as insights into life in Gaza during the British Mandate period and the 1948 Nakba and its aftermath. • The book is beautifully written, and Al Taweel's voice is very powerful, exposing readers to Palestinian history in a direct and intimate way. Audience: • Anyone interested in Palestine, and indeed the Middle East in general. The book covers, for example, life in the Gaza Strip under Egyptian rule. That makes this a particularly interesting and rare account. • The book is intended for both general and scholarly readers. It will particularly appeal to oral historians and those teaching the history of the Middle East. "The Women's Voices From Gaza series is exceptional, offering insights into modern Gaza's social history. It will attract a wide readership in Palestine studies and gender studies, as well as individuals interested in the Palestine question." Rema Hammami, Associate Professor of Anthropology, Birzeit University Preface: Introducing Women's Voices from Gaza ix Foreword, Ilan Pappe xv Acknowledgements xxiii Introduction xxv Come My Children 1 / Childhood: Growing Up in Gaza 3 2 / The British Mandate and School Days 21 3 / Marriage and Relations with Palestinian Muslims 39 4 / Busine

Sahbaa Al-Barbari's story provides a unique perspective on Palestinian experiences before and after the 1948 Nakba. Born and educated in Gaza, Al-Barbari was an activist in her community. When Israel occupied the Gaza Strip in 1967, Al-Barbari and her husband Mu'in Bseiso became refugees, stripped of their residency rights and forced to live in exile for the next three decades. While in exile, moving from Lebanon to Syria, Libya, Kuwait, Egypt, and finally Tunisia, Al-Barbari held tight to her hope of one day returning to Gaza. Her life speaks volumes about the struggle experienced by millions of disenfranchised Palestinians, separated from family members and their homeland.