Who Will Tell my Story?: A Gaza Diary

by uncredited

A moving account of life in Palestine in the wake of the events of October 7th.

'Who Will Tell My Story? finds beauty and grace amongst the rubble while never shying away from the brutal realities of living through such relentless and cruel oppression.' NIKESH SHUKLA

It was a sleepless night full of tears and fear . . . I am not sure - if I make it out alive - if I will still possess what makes me, me. And I will I be there in the future, or will I be someone to be remembered in a diary or over a cup of tea by a friend after I am gone?

Who Will Tell My Story? presents an ordinary existence interrupted by unfathomably seismic and unjust events. On the ground during the first months of the assault on Gaza following the events of 7 October, the author of this diary - first published in The Guardian - maps out the physical and psychological terrain of a life under siege.

Traversing the bombed ruins of his country, we see him as he searches for foodstuffs and power to charge devices, maintaining contact with the outside world, checking in with his friends and family along the way; we see his heart swing between despair and faith, fear and optimism, his mind imagining different futures and confronting the brutal truth of his present.

Shining a light on the fate of all those living through war and occupation, Who Will Tell My Story? conveys with astonishing clarity how seeds of hope might linger amid the most trying of times.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Memoir, War, Biography, Audiobook

Audible Audio

Published July 15, 2025

Reviews

[Abeer Arain · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book provides an insightful look into daily life in Gaza, and I can only imagine that the situation has worsened significantly since it was written in 2023. However, I long to see a book by a Gaza writer who is not secular. Most English-language books by Palestinians tend to be secular, which makes it difficult to grasp the true essence of Palestinian resilience. As a result, these books often focus more on complaints than on the beauty of their strong faith in Allah, which is likely stronger than that of many Muslims today—Allah knows best.

[Lavelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

gut wrenching. free palestine forever 🇵🇸♥️

[Natalie Park · Rating 4 out of 5]

A day to day telling of life in Gaza after October 7. It reveals the struggle, displacement, loss, etc., as one can imagine but also brings to light the hope, sense of community, care and love that still exists.

[Zulekha Saqib · Rating 5 out of 5]

— written by an anonymous Palestinian man, it runs from 7th October 2023 until 19th February 2024. As you'd expect, it is a grim read but reading this book feels like an act of listening. Listening is the least we can do.

[Carmel Clarkson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had tears in my eyes reading and finishing this book. It is heartbreaking, harrowing and beautiful. This author documents the desperate struggle to survive after Oct 7th, the numerous displacements and daily exhaustive searches for basics. He writes of his feelings of loss, grief and dehumanisation. But also love, hope, cats and community.
Everyone should read this book. It's not a book about the bigger situation or however you might describe it. It is a diary, and as such it gives a voice to the very people we must keep in our hearts and minds throughout all of this.
The author has decided to remain anonymous for his own safety and is now out of Gaza. I wish him all the best and to tell him he is loved, even by those he has never met.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book took a long time to finish because it is very heavy and devastating. The thought that this was written 2 years ago and the conditions in Gaza have only gotten worse is heartbreaking. The author is surprisingly hopeful for someone who is in truly such a horrible situation. I only hope that the people who are close to him and the family he was staying with also are alive and safe still.

[Cress · Rating 5 out of 5]

FREE FREE PALESTINE.


This is probably the hardest thing I’ve ever read in my life. Reading about war in space or fantasy is one thing, but reading about real people and real loss is something else entirely. It’s heartbreaking to think that after almost 100 years, this is still happening.
This is one of those books that quietly breaks your heart and then tries to piece it back together with fragments of love and humanity. Every page feels heavy with fear and injustice, yet somehow, within all that darkness, there’s light.
What makes this book so inspiring isn’t just the pain it reveals but the kindness that shines through. Even when hope feels impossible, the people of Gaza still look out for one another, opening their homes, sharing their food, protecting their children, and even caring for their cats. (As an animal lover, that part resonated so deeply with me it made me sob my heart out.)
It’s those quiet, defiant moments of love blooming in the middle of suffering that make this diary both devastating and deeply beautiful.

[Katie.dorny · Rating 5 out of 5]

listened via audio

[bookmehnia · Rating 4 out of 5]

(71/2025) 4/5🌟 Memoir/Autobiography (Non-Fiction) | 284 pages

“𝙄𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙝𝙤𝙥𝙚. 𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙗𝙗𝙤𝙧𝙣, 𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚, 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙝𝙤𝙥𝙚.”

It didn’t start on October 7th, 2023.
It started way beyond that.
Since 1948, the Palestinians have endured the evil, the massacre, the displacement, the pain that probably nobody in this world could have ever explained in plain words.

This is a harrowing account of how the people of Gaza endure, until now, when their birthplace fell under siege. They are scared, sad, frustrated, angry, in grief and let alone, confused too.

This is not actually a whole book because it is an account of diary entries, written by an anonymous Palestinian who came from Gaza. The entries started on the event of 7 October 2023, where many of us believed when it all started. The writer woke up in the morning of 7th October 2023 hopefully because he had a tennis session appointment with a friend only for the news to go around that there was a “situation” in Gaza.

And, that was how it all began.
News after news of evacuation orders where they sleep at nights in terror.
In a blink of an eye, they are unable to communicate, to eat, to drink, to go to school, to read and learn, and perhaps even to breathe. They have to leave their homes, to be separated from their loved ones, and most probably say their last goodbyes to each other.

The displacement began with people from the north having to move down further into the city, or the south. Despite even being in the midst of despair, the Palestinians try their very best to accomodate those who are evacuating by inviting the evacuees into their homes. The littlest food and water are shared among them, and the “host” families try their very best to ensure their guests are comfortable. Despite their differences in beliefs and religions, they help each other, and I think this was the part that touched my heart the most.

The diary has become a place of solitude for the writer to express his utmost and deepest feelings where the writer filled it up with despair, anger, hopes and dreams. Probably because the writer was so consumed with taking care of everyone around especially the sister, the freedom in writings gave the writer a chance to relieve what has been hidden in the heart - like a safe space. It is understandable being an older sibling sometimes we tend to keep most of our worries at heart on our own.

I can’t help but to visualise those videos I watched on Instagram posted by the Gazans while reading this. It is as if, whatever that the writer described was visualised in my head, one by one - and it is hard for me to do it, I had to stop mid-reading because it was too painful. Can we imagine what they are going through?

The reason why I can’t believe that some of us choose not to say anything about this or to remain neutral despite countless facts, evidence, footages, historical datas that support the Palestinians. This is no longer a religious issue, it is about humanity. What are actually feeling when you watch them say that “The Palestinians deserve to die!”?

The writer had managed to escape the turmoil from homeground by leaving the beloved country and I am sure the writer has valid reasons for it, but the quote I included above, those are the glimmer of hopes that the writer still have for Palestine, especially Gaza. They want to return to a free Gaza. A free Palestine.

If you can’t choose sides, at least, be at the right side of history.

Thank you #timesreads for this review copy, in exchange with my honest personal opinions.

#justreaddontbawang #bookmehnia #2025reads #DecemberReads #DecemberTBRs #bookstagrammalaysia #bookstagrammy #malaysiamembaca #bookstagrammer #bookgram #bibliophile #bibliophilemy #bookish #bookaddict #bookaesthetic #readersofinstagram #goodreads #bookrecommendations #bookreview #bookworm #whowilltellmystory #agazadiary

[Ayda Celik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grateful my book club chose this for this month. Hard to call it beautiful as reading it was heart wrenching. It it’s important to understand that many people despite the conditions would rather die in their country than run away. Palestinians carry deep pride. I will never comprehend how we allowed this to happen. I truly hope more people read this story.

[⭕ slt · Rating 4 out of 5]

heart breaking, hard to read, horrific but it's a must to read the story of people under genocide. This will make you cry and

[J.M · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s so devastating! I hope and pray that the Palestinians’ sufferings will end and they’ll eventually heal (since I know after everything that happened, they can’t go back to their old lives anymore).

The book depicted the worst of humanity (in terms of bombings and the ongoing war) and the best of humanity - like helping one another despite the horrible things that were happening around them.

[Honeypie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me more than a month to finish this book. It's not so much that the setting is difficult to read about, but it felt that the author was complaining a lot. He seemed such a high maintenance person, who is suddenly thrust into this lowly life, who is complaining about losing his luxury and comfortable life. It was a little dragging to read.

But then I got called out. It's not like this is a fictional story. It's real. I can read books about past wars, and be sad and hurt and angry with all the injustices and sufferings. But this one is happening now. The injustices, the sufferings are real, and happening to people living today like me.

As I read through it more, I felt guilty for judging him. I needed more empathy. I tried to imagine myself in the same situation, losing the comfortable life I am accustomed to, and I would have complained a lot more.

Maybe the author wrote this for awareness, eventually. But first and foremost, it was one of his ways of coping. I write too, in a way. Or more like, journal or blog. And I understand that when life is hard, you need to let it out.

I couldn't imagine being in a war, and my dad now needing dialysis 3x a week. How will we cope? Or my family members having maintenance meds. Where will we find supply?

Maybe the Philippines is larger in area than Gaza, so when people leave, they might have more options. But still. War is war. Home may be relative. But home is still home.

And people are still the same people, as you and me. No matter race or country or beliefs.

Still praying that all these evils will end soon.

---

I have not lost hope, but I have never been as peaceful as I am now with the idea of death. I am not sure whether it is because of the cruelty we are facing or the feeling of helplessness we continuously have… or whether I am just exhausted.

Doing your best to survive is not resilience. I love and want to live life to the maximum. I want to travel, listen to music, learn new cultures. I don’t want to be running for my own life. I don’t want to pray every day that I live to see the sun of the next one. I am not resilient. I am week, I am vulnerable. But I want to live.

Lying on the couch, wondering how many nights I will spend away from home and my normal life, I start humming ‘Killing Me Softly’. I think I that I want to be killed softly with kindness, happiness and love. I don’t want to be killed aggressively with weapons and bombs. I want to die peacefully, at a very old age, after having spent a beautiful life and achieving all the dreams I wanted to make true. And most importantly, I want to live.

We love life, but we don’t have the chance to live it.

[Wafa Alobaidat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up Who Will Tell My Story by Anonymous almost by accident at my local bookstore, and it turned out to be exactly what I needed to break my long streak of reading English classics.

Over the past year I’ve stopped consuming social media almost entirely. I can no longer be a witness to what’s happening in Gaza and just sit idly by while watching it unfold on those platforms. It was affecting my mental health and my ability to stay present and focused in my own life. I also don’t believe I’m able to help as much as I want through those channels. So I’ve taken a stand against social media platforms which, in my view, function less like social channels and more like propaganda channels working in the interests of Zionism. Because of that, it has been a long time since I’ve consumed any content about Gaza.

Then I came across this book.

This diary was beautiful in its simplicity but complex in its themes. It reads like a daily journal—real, immediate, and intimate. What struck me most was the absence of names. No names for the narrator, no names for the people around them. For the first half of the book I assumed the narrator was a girl, only to realize later it was actually a boy. In the end, it didn’t matter. What mattered was that they were human.

Another thing I found remarkable was that the word “Israel” is never mentioned in the book—not once. There are references to bombings, destruction, and the realities people are living through, but the diary focuses almost entirely on daily life: what people are feeling, how they are coping, how they survive each day. In a world where Israel often receives so much airtime and narrative focus, this felt like a quiet but powerful act of rebellion—refusing to give it even a single line of space on the page.

The result is a story stripped down to its most essential truth: the human experience of living through something unimaginable.

The book also places a surprising emphasis on cats and animals. I wasn’t entirely sure how I felt about that at first, but I came to see it as something meaningful. Caring for other living beings, even in the midst of chaos, becomes a form of distraction, hope, and survival.

I finished the book in one sitting.

I will never know who the author is, and perhaps that anonymity is part of its strength. It allows the voice to stand for many.

[Nando Gigaba · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who Will Tell My Story?: A Gaza Diary, attributed to an anonymous author, gains immense power precisely from this choice. By withholding the author's name, the diary entries transcend a single individual's experience, becoming a universal voice for any resident of Gaza. This anonymity fosters an immediate and powerful connection, allowing us to see countless faces in the words, each story a potential reflection of the countless lives lived under extraordinary circumstances.

This work, alongside others like We Are Not Numbers: The Voices of Gaza’s Youth. The Sunday Times Bestseller, is critically important in shifting our perspective. In an era where media often reduces the people of Gaza to mere statistics, these books force us to confront their humanity. They remind us that behind the headlines are individuals with dreams, humor, personal hobbies, and deep familial bonds. They are people who love to travel, create memories, and aspire to lives just as rich and fulfilling as our own, despite facing unimaginable hardships.

While it's easy to feel helpless in the face of such profound challenges, perhaps one of the most significant contributions we can make is simply to remember them and share their stories. For those who have lost their lives, giving voice to their experiences ensures their memory endures, honoring them not as anonymous casualties, but as vibrant individuals whose lives mattered.

In the midst of such profound human suffering, I can't help but hope that even through the severe starvation and ongoing tragedy, someone remembers to feed the cats and dogs in Gaza.

[Grenolz · Rating 5 out of 5]

The passages quoted from the book below are never enough to describe what they've been through in Gaza. But they're more than enough to educate for those who know nothing about it.

"I have always been impressed by those who are eloquent with words, who have the capacity to express their inner thoughts precisely. I recall a message between me and a friend who lives abroad. I told her that the situation is getting worse. In her response, she put the word ‘getting’ into brackets. I understood what she meant; for three months the situation has been awful. But what English word to use after ‘bad’? ‘Worse’? ‘Worst’? There are no stronger words to show that the situation continues to deteriorate."

This passage is never going to justify the ongoing nightmare happening in the lives of the people in Gaza. Even they know a word will never do.

"I miss a life where I would sleep on a bed, go to work, drink clean water, eat something I like of my own choice, meet friends and go back to the same bed and watch something online or read a book. I miss a life where mothers can walk in the streets and let their children run in front of them, enjoying the fresh air and, later, enjoying delicious foods and sweets. I miss a life where children have other children around, to play with, become friends, and to start creating beautiful memories for their future. That life seems very distant and unrealistic. A fairy tale."

It is heartbreaking that their access to basic human needs is considered as a "fairy tale." It had me thinking about ordinary things that I often take for granted but are a luxury for them.

"I bet there is a partner in one area of the world, angry at their lover and asking them to pay more attention to their emotional needs. Well, here in Gaza, I don’t think we have this issue right now, because we have no time, energy or the privilege to think about what we feel. Right now, all that we want is to be safe. Just safe."

From the river to the sea,
Palestine will be free.

Free Palestine forever! 🇵🇸

[parareads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine having your right to communicate, enjoy a nice breakfast, go to school, dream about your future, or even take a simple bath denied for decades. On top of that, imagine being shot at, bombed, losing your home, and not knowing where to go. In Gaza, even the dead are not safe in their graves. From an unknown writer, a Gazan now living in Egypt, #WhoWillTellMyStory A Gaza Diary captures the suffering of Palestinians who have been killed and oppressed throughout the occupation, especially from 2023 onwards.

The 3️⃣ Things:

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒈𝒈𝒍𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝑷𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒔. 🇵🇸
The people of Gaza show a strength we can all learn from. Even while living with hate and fear every day, they still try to stay grateful and make the best out of impossible situations. They often go days without food, water, electricity, or basic supplies. Reading their stories made me feel humbled, because even with so little, many of them still welcome and help others.

💔𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒂𝒄𝒓𝒊𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒔.
I was especially moved by the story of a man who wanted to send each of his children to a different relative’s home so that if one family was bombed, at least some of his children would survive... Despite everything, the narrator and his sister still tried to save stray cats they came across, and even the fish they kept.

📖𝑨 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅.
Just like The Diary of Anne Frank became essential reading around the world, this book is also a must read. It is one of many reminders of how badly humanity has failed to protect the oppressed, like the Palestinians and people in other conflict zones. War has never brought anything good.

✍🏻: anonymous
🖨️: @faberbooks (Guardian Faber)
📄: 284
⭐️: 4/5

Thank you, miss Putri @putrifariza and @times.reads for giving me this precious copy. From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free. 🇵🇸 #parareads #timesreads #diary #historicalbooks #bookstagram

[Nina Keller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an absolutely gorgeous and heart-wrenching diary of a Gazan right now. What a horrific shame to be living through a time when our major world governments are selectively thwarting and weaponizing international law to annihilate human beings in the name of supremacy and land grabs. I am forever heartbroken and dismayed by the perpetual atrocity of this genocide and the complete unmasking of the world power systems that uphold the worst of human capacity.

There is a part where the protagonist implores us all to have gratitude for everything mundane and necessary: “hug the walls of your house,” “savor every drop of water, every morsel of food.” I also love the part where he speaks to Santa Claus on behalf of Gazan children: “look for the tents,” “you won’t recognize our towns.” The way he speaks of mutual neighborly care, the responsibility to the cats, the absolute suffering. Essential reading to connect with our very humanity.

[Tala . · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unfortunately i think people get de-sanitised and get used to hearing the news about palestine or any country facing a genocide, every new mass attack turns into another day and another piece of media that people scroll by,it’s fucked up but that’s what social media do, it’s how people who cause those type of things get away with it.
this book is a good reminder that they’re not just numbers, they’re people with their own life,family, friends, daily routine, personal hopes & achievements. The trauma doesn’t end the moment you leave your country, it stays with you.

I think it hit me harder given that i’m sudanese, so i relate to some extent but one day Palestine will be free and so will Sudan.

[Léonie Rijnders · Rating 4.75 out of 5]

This is one of those books that you really hope for a happy ending, but you won’t get it. Unfortunately this story is still going on. I never had a clear idea what was happening in Gaza, but this book is absolutely heartbreaking. I got emotional reading this book because it’s absolutely shattering what people in Gaza are going through.

“Living in constant fear is a living hell”

“Someone lost a loved one; someone lost their home; someone lost their dream; and someone lost all three of them.”

“We need to believe the lies in order not to die.”

[Anirudh (Ani) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though I haven’t completed the book yet, I still think ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ is valid as the reading experience of the book creates the unseen or unheard world of Gaza just front of the reader

I don’t have mental strength to read and comprehend the difficulties of the people of Gaza in these so called modern and civilised world!

I have to stop it at half as it was too difficult for me to process. I hope that once I strengthen myself mentally, I will continue the rest 😕

[Camilo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely sad but necessary to read. What is it like to be immersed in a reality,such as war, that you didn’t choose? How would you feel in such an extreme situation?

This book tells you about the real pain of real people who, like many others in displaced areas or in places where conflict continues, have to put their lives on hold to experience our worst fears.

[Paul Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is important that people know about the fear and deprivation suffered by civilians in war zones. This is perhaps a little repetitive and the brother and sister are uncommonly fortunate compared to most.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really hope that the author, his family and friends and all other people in Gaza will be soon able to enjoy peace and happiness they deserve so much. I hope that the author is able to take walks by the sea all he wants, read all his favourite books and share delicious meals with his loved ones❤️

[adri☁️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

La empatía humana de extender la mano inclusive en situaciones extremas en las que se entendería la individualidad por encima de lo colectivo me conmueve al punto de la esperanza en un futuro en la que Palestina logre ser libre.

[Fifi · Rating 5 out of 5]

No matter how many you read Gaza stories. This book gives details of day-to-day a Gazan live during the first months of the genocide happens since 2023. It gives you another perspective where you can also feel and experience their life.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Personal account of the daily horrors of life in Gaza during the genocide.

[Sarah M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really great perspective!

[Joanna Adamska · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heart-rending

[Clodagh Sheehan · Rating 5 out of 5]

saoirse don phalaistín