A Testament to Resistance

The people of Gaza are losing families, friends, homes. But they still firmly believe in their right to resist the occupation to win their dignity and freedom

IN the fragmented reality of Palestine, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip stand isolated, their connection severed. From my home in Ramallah, which is only 37 miles from Gaza, the gap feels huge due to Israeli restrictions that make short distances insurmountable. My friend Huda Amer, a fellow journalist, and I endure this reality, with our connection limited to infrequent, intermittent phone calls amid the ongoing bombardment.

Huda's family home in Gaza, a symbol of our shared dreams, was destroyed by an Israeli airstrike, separating us even more than before. Across the West Bank, countless families mourn the loss of their loved ones in Gaza and are overwhelmed by helplessness and guilt.

Amidst this turmoil, the story of newborn Kinan Sawarkah has had a profound impact. Born into the reverberations of war, Kinan was orphaned just three days after his birth after an Israeli airstrike killed his father Yousef and other relatives.

Miraculously, Kinan and his mother Islam Jamal survived. This tragedy underscores the relentless struggle of Palestinians to protect their newborns in the midst of chaos.

Yousef's memory lives on through a single photograph with Kinan, a poignant reminder of the fleeting father-son bond and the far-reaching, merciless conflict. This image, emblematic of the love extinguished in Gaza, illustrates the resilience of the enclave and the unspoken narratives.

The Gaza Strip and the West Bank are two Palestinian territories conquered by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War. In total, over 5 million Palestinians live in the two territories.

The Gaza Strip is 140 sq km in size and is located in the southwestern corner of Israel on the Mediterranean coast. It also borders Egypt to the south.

The West Bank is another area that lies within Israel, but at 2,173 sq miles is much larger than the Gaza Strip.