Rahaf Abuzarifa is the social media coordinator at We Are Not Numbers and a computer science student at Al-Azhar University in Gaza. Her educational journey was abruptly halted in 2023 when her university was bombed during the ongoing war in Gaza.
“I consider writing an art form that helps us explore self-expression,” she asserts. “Writing is a versatile tool for self-expression, sharing information, communicating with friends, academic endeavors, professional work, and beyond. I aspire to refine my writing skills to effectively convey stories and ideas.”
Rahaf also works as a freelance writer and designer. In 2022, she served as the vice director of the Hult Prize OnCampus program at her university. In 2023, she worked at Mashareq Cooperation in project management and sales.
Ahmed Dremley Ahmed Hosni Dremly is a Gaza-based journalist and translator. His articles have appeared in the Electronic Intifada, Palestine Chronicle, and Mondoweiss, and they have been translated and published by French and Italian websites and newspapers. One of his essays, about the 2021 aggression on Gaza, was selected as one of 20 Cinta Gaza Malaysia Prize winners and is being published in a book.
Mohammed Arafat is a graduate of the Islamic University of Gaza, where he studied English. He says he aspires to become “a voice for Palestine, expressing the people’s hopes and pains, helping them pursue their dreams in the face of adversity and demonstrating that every life matters.” A freelance writer, Mohammad already has self-published his own book, “Still Living There,” which he disseminates through Amazon. Learn more on his blog. He currenty lives in the United States, where he hopes to study for his master’s degree
Haya Abu Nasser is a human rights activist and writer whose family is originally from Deir-Sneid. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English literature and humanitarian sciences and worked for several non-governmental organizations in Palestine. Her work has been published in AGNI, Scoundrel Time, Evergreen Review, The Normal School, The Rumpus, Airlight, The Massachusetts Review, and Apogee Journal. After being internally displaced four times within Gaza after the destruction of her family home, she spent several months living in a tent in Rafah. She managed to cross the border into Egypt in March and is currently enrolled in a Master’s program in International Affairs at Lincoln University College in Malaysia.
https://www.facebook.com/haya.abunasser
Salaheldin Eleyan (Salah), a graduate in physics from the Islamic University of Gaza, is a Palestinian refugee who lives in Gaza’s Jabalia camp. He loves working with children because he believes in the purity of their souls; their enthusiasm inspires him. And since also he loves science, he dreams of establishing the first science museum in Gaza.Since Salah was a teenager, he has followed political issues around the world and cared about oppressed people. Of course, his cause, the Palestinians, is his biggest concern. Thus, he was chosen to participate in New Generation, an 18-month program aiming to empower youth to lead positive change. Now, he has joined WANN. He believes telling stories that teach others about the Palestinian cause is a path toward change.
Basman Derawi, 26, was born in Kuwait and lived there for two years before coming to Gaza. A physiotherapist for the Ministry of Health, he graduated from Al-Azhar University in 2010.
He thinks of writing as a remedy –a tool that can change the world and be used as resistance. Basman began drafting stories a year ago and is inspired by music, movies and people with special needs. One of his dreams as a Palestinian is to share and show Palestinians’ real faces as they struggle and work for their rights. He also loves to read, cook, and play video games and basketball.
https://x.com/basmanprincehttps://www.facebook.com/basman.elderawi?fref=pb_o
Eva Abu Mariam is a writer, a poet, and a freshman at dentist school. She believes that human beings have features that deserve to be eternal; this is why she writes. She has been writing since she was young, and poetry has become a part of her identity.
Sara Alsweirki appreciates art, whether it’s the brilliant lyrics sung by Amy Winehouse, “The Metamorphosis” by Kafka, or the gifts she and her friends craft and exchange. She believes new doors of opportunity open when we learn to appreciate what deserves to be appreciated
Sondos Alqadri is a Palestinian-Canadian. Raised in Gaza, she navigated the complexities of her homeland before pursuing higher education at Al-Azhar University, from which she graduated in 2016 with a degree in English language and literature.
Currently residing in China, Sondos channels her passion for education as an English teacher. Her interests include childhood development, education, and writing.
For Sondos, writing transcends mere words; it’s an expression of empathy and community and a way to preserve collective memories.
Nadera Raied Mushtha is a poet and writer who was born and raised in the Shujaiya neighborhood of Gaza City. Her family is originally from Gaza. In the fall of 2023, she started her third year in the English Language Education Department at Islamic University where she was a student of Dr. Refaat Alareer. Since most schools in Gaza have been destroyed during the current war, she has been organizing English classes for children in her neighborhood.
Huda Skaik is an English literature student at Islamic University of Gaza. She dreams of a future as a professor, poet, and writer.
Tranquil by name and nature, Huda’s being is defined by passion and reflected in her diligence, perseverance, and unwavering focus. She loves walking and taking photos of beautiful things, capturing the essence of beauty in every detail she encounters. She lives in the heart of Gaza City’s A-Rimal, where her love for nature’s myriad wonders — winter’ s embrace, the symphony of sunsets, the moon’s gentle glow, and the tranquil nights — inspires and captivates her soul.
She believes in the power of storytelling and pens words that resonate with the spirit of Palestinians. She seeks to illuminate the essence of Gaza, sharing its profound meaning with the world.Amidst the turmoil of conflict, writing is her solace. It fills her days with purpose and meaning. In the corridors of IUG’s English Department, and driven by a profound love for poetry and stories, she learns not just about literature but life itself.
https://www.instagram.com/glowing_star_2023/
Donya Abu Sitta
I write for the same reason I breathe, because if I didn’t, I would die.”
—Isaac Asimov
Donya Abu Sitta is a content writer and translator, studying the English language at Al-Aqsa University. During her academic life, she has volunteered as a translator and writer for the Hult Prize, Youth Innovation Hub, Science Tone, Eat Sulas, and Electronic Intifada.
She is interested in culture, art, and stories. “For me, writing is freedom, and my dreams are limitless,” Donya says. “I believe in the power of words. I create my chances to pass my ideas to the world by writing and photography.”
Andaleeb Cartonera 