Description
“An extraordinary book. Voices of Resistance opens a rare window into the reality of young women living under brutal siege: their loss, terror, and grief; their hope, ingenuity, curiosity, and humour as well as despair. These testimonials come straight from hell, and yet—read them, you’ll see—they are radiant with undiminished life.”—Olivia Laing
For two years, the world has witnessed image after devastating image of Israel’s genocide in Gaza: videos, photos, and Instagram reels showing blanket bombardment, cities in ruin, and entire families pulled from the rubble of their homes. Such enormity can be difficult to process, but behind each image lie ordinary lives full of hope, love, and community.
In these diaries, four Gazan women—Batool Abu Akleen, Sondos Sabra, Nahil Mohana, and Ala’a Obaid—offer first-hand accounts of Israeli airstrikes, forced displacement, and engineered famine. These atrocities are documented alongside the everyday resilience of Palestinians: from the neighbour who fashions an ashtray from the shrapnel of an Israeli missile, to the street vendor who donates his last egg for a child’s birthday cake, to the community of displaced people who pool their resources to stage a traditional wedding. Even when displaced, under fire, forced to bury loved ones, or thrown at the mercy of a devastated health system, the writers of these diaries never abandon their humanity, their individuality, or their belief in the future of Gaza.
ALL PROCEEDS FROM THE SALE OF THIS BOOK WILL GO DIRECTLY TO THE WRITERS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
Praise for Voices of Resistance
“From immortal terror will also spring the impossible triumph of maintaining one’s humanity. One can only hope that as long as these powerful voices continue to speak to us, we—and anyone with the power to stop this ongoing genocide—will repay them with our listening.”
—Justin Goodman, Asymptote
“The power of this collection lies in its diverse assemblage of voices, which sometimes depart and other times converge, illuminating the myriad perspectives and challenges of a people under attack . . . Voices of Resistance stands as a vital work of testimonial literature that refuses to be forgotten.”
— Francesca Vawdrey, The Markaz Review
“Its pages pulse with an urgency . . . The artistry and creativity displayed by these four remarkable women both astonish and humble readers. Detailing their lives amidst unimaginable dangers, their narrations boast powerful storytelling, poetic flourishes, and poignant homages to literary greats . . . Instead of cold numbers and abstract political jargon, these pages offer irrefutable proof of lives lived and spirits tired, but unbroken.”
—Fifi Bat-hef, The New Arab
“Their words go beyond the frame, enlarging the picture the world is seeing. And what they beautifully manage to do, is to make the audience stay in Gaza for more than thirty seconds. Voices of Resistance: Diaries of Genocide requires of the reader an emotional strength to see Gaza in depth, to follow day by day—or for as long the genocide allows them to write—the thoughts of Batool, Sondos, Nahil, and Ala’a.”
—Assia Belgacem, Arab Lit Quarterly
“This is the most powerful work of collective testament I have ever read. It is a breathtaking and spirit-forging book. It tells it as it is. It could not be more crucial or more urgent. Read it now.”
—Ali Smith
“An extraordinary book. Voices of Resistance opens a rare window into the reality of young women living under brutal siege in the 21st century: their loss, terror and grief; their hope, ingenuity, curiosity and humour as well as despair. These testimonials come straight from hell, and yet—read them, you’ll see—they are radiant with undiminished life.”
—Olivia Laing
“It isn’t true that there are ‘no words’ to describe life in Gaza during the genocide. The words are here—brilliant, devastating, unexpected. Read them.”
—Kamila Shamsie
“These diaries show us the human cost of Israel’s UK-backed genocide in Gaza. When the F-35s drop their bombs, this is where they fall and this is who they fall on. Yet the women in these diaries exhibit strength and dignity that the barbarity of colonialism can never diminish. Their love of family, of community and of the land passed down to them through generations, is more enduring than all the weapons of imperialism. As these testimonies demonstrate, Gaza will survive and Palestine will be free.”
—Zarah Sultana MP
“Read this book and weep, but read it also with such admiration for these four women and the community from which they come.”
—Rebecca Servadio
“Heart-breaking yet illuminating, these diaries from Gaza are a must-read for all people of conscience.”
—Xiran Jay Zhao
