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Voices of Resistance: Diaries of Genocide
"An extraordinary book. Voices of Resistance opens a rare window into the reality of young women living under brutal 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 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 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 homeless, 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.
For two years, the world has witnessed image after devastating image of Israel’s genocide in 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 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 homeless, 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.
- GenresNonfictionDiary
270 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 14, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 11, 2026
Essential. Will unfortunately probably not be recognized as such until the stakes are long gone, how we demonstrate ethical clarity about the diaries of Anne Frank, Frederick Douglass, and Harriet Jacobs today: risk-free, from a distance. This book is a chance to bear witness and confront what’s happening now while it still carries moral weight to do so. I was especially moved by Ala’a Obaid’s diary near the end, her account of giving birth during the genocide, though I dogeared numerous passages throughout and will be sad to return this one to the library.
April 13, 2026
To have read this while the genocide continues feels privileged and surreal, but I’m glad to have done so. I’m in shambles over the ending of this book, when I know all the women’s war stories are far from over.
I also appreciated the educational element in this novel, with lots of footnotes and a timeline for those who may be less familiar of the historical conflict between Israel and Palestine.
I highly recommend buying this, since not only is it an excellent and important read, but all the profits go directly to the writers and their families.
I also appreciated the educational element in this novel, with lots of footnotes and a timeline for those who may be less familiar of the historical conflict between Israel and Palestine.
I highly recommend buying this, since not only is it an excellent and important read, but all the profits go directly to the writers and their families.
August 20, 2025
“I didn’t know that someone could fall so far into the jaws of death and still climb out alive.”
“In disbelief, we check that our limbs are still in place, that our souls have survived.”
“Sidi Nazir learned a lesson from his displacement: wherever you find yourself, plant seeds. What you plant today, your children will eat tomorrow… Before my grandfather died, he taught all of his grandchildren how to farm. Of course, we grew up and earned our degrees in medicine, engineering and law. But after so many years, the most valuable lesson turns out to be his: plant seeds, plant seeds, plant seeds.”
“One is fortified by those one loves.”
“Our grandparents remembered their fields and we remember our houses. What will our grandchildren [have lost and] remember?”
- - - -
Diary excerpts from four Gazan women reveal life amid genocide — from giving birth standing in a hospital bathroom to scavenging for a single egg to celebrate a child’s birthday. These harrowing accounts offer a raw glimpse into survival under forced displacement and engineered famine.
“In disbelief, we check that our limbs are still in place, that our souls have survived.”
“Sidi Nazir learned a lesson from his displacement: wherever you find yourself, plant seeds. What you plant today, your children will eat tomorrow… Before my grandfather died, he taught all of his grandchildren how to farm. Of course, we grew up and earned our degrees in medicine, engineering and law. But after so many years, the most valuable lesson turns out to be his: plant seeds, plant seeds, plant seeds.”
“One is fortified by those one loves.”
“Our grandparents remembered their fields and we remember our houses. What will our grandchildren [have lost and] remember?”
- - - -
Diary excerpts from four Gazan women reveal life amid genocide — from giving birth standing in a hospital bathroom to scavenging for a single egg to celebrate a child’s birthday. These harrowing accounts offer a raw glimpse into survival under forced displacement and engineered famine.
May 31, 2026
It was impossible for me to put down this book in mid-chapter. Impossible. Unlike some other chronicles of the genocide that I’ve read, this one gives a handful of authors enough space to follow them for months, sharing their torments and tribulations. The writing is outstanding and you want to scream at the injustice of it all.
Once upon a time, perhaps until a decade or so ago, we (at least I) would read an account of some past horror or another and it was simply a given that everyone around us would share our revulsion at history’s atrocities. Granted, some would feel it more intensely than others, but it was a safe assumption that our views on such basic matters generally aligned. How people could have allowed such monstrous things to happen was a mystery, and we were secure in the knowledge that we’d never let it happen.
Of course, that was never really true. Just ask a Bosnian or a Rwandan. But this - this - is something on a whole different level. We didn’t just turn a blind eye, convincing ourselves that it might not really be happening or telling ourselves that, if it was taking place, it had nothing to do with us. This genocide was openly enabled and even cheered on by governments across the western world, at least until it became somewhat embarrassing to publicly encourage it and their support became somewhat less blatant, albeit no less forceful. We provided the weapons of death to fuel the genocidal machine. We ruined and even imprisoned those who spoke out against it. We made into nonpersons the judges and advocates who tried to bring a measure of justice against the perpetrators. And we slandered as terrorists and antisemites anyone who saw people burnt alive in fire, who saw premature babies left to die and rot, who saw malnourished, even starving, children and thought, “this is wrong!” I wrote in the past tense but, of course, all of this continues as we speak.
I will never be able to process the fact that I live in a society where I am surrounded by people whose reaction to these exhaustively-documented obscenities is to simultaneously deny and celebrate them. Who clearly believe that the only problem with the destruction of Gaza is that there is anything or anyone left of it. The insanity of it is enough to drive one to madness.
But madness would be a self-indulgence. We need to do everything we can to change this world so that Palestinians can finally get their basic due as human beings. Enough is enough. After more than a century of Palestinians being treated like animals and children of a lesser god, that is the least we owe them.
Once upon a time, perhaps until a decade or so ago, we (at least I) would read an account of some past horror or another and it was simply a given that everyone around us would share our revulsion at history’s atrocities. Granted, some would feel it more intensely than others, but it was a safe assumption that our views on such basic matters generally aligned. How people could have allowed such monstrous things to happen was a mystery, and we were secure in the knowledge that we’d never let it happen.
Of course, that was never really true. Just ask a Bosnian or a Rwandan. But this - this - is something on a whole different level. We didn’t just turn a blind eye, convincing ourselves that it might not really be happening or telling ourselves that, if it was taking place, it had nothing to do with us. This genocide was openly enabled and even cheered on by governments across the western world, at least until it became somewhat embarrassing to publicly encourage it and their support became somewhat less blatant, albeit no less forceful. We provided the weapons of death to fuel the genocidal machine. We ruined and even imprisoned those who spoke out against it. We made into nonpersons the judges and advocates who tried to bring a measure of justice against the perpetrators. And we slandered as terrorists and antisemites anyone who saw people burnt alive in fire, who saw premature babies left to die and rot, who saw malnourished, even starving, children and thought, “this is wrong!” I wrote in the past tense but, of course, all of this continues as we speak.
I will never be able to process the fact that I live in a society where I am surrounded by people whose reaction to these exhaustively-documented obscenities is to simultaneously deny and celebrate them. Who clearly believe that the only problem with the destruction of Gaza is that there is anything or anyone left of it. The insanity of it is enough to drive one to madness.
But madness would be a self-indulgence. We need to do everything we can to change this world so that Palestinians can finally get their basic due as human beings. Enough is enough. After more than a century of Palestinians being treated like animals and children of a lesser god, that is the least we owe them.
September 4, 2025
I couldn't put this down until I finished it, though it was an incredibly emotionally heavy read. This is the devastating and powerful account of four women navigating and surviving through the hell of Israel's occupation. Each woman's unique voice is resistance and I feel as much shame as I do awe when reading this. Each diary is so well written, and at times funny, which makes it all the more enotional. Thanks to them for sharing these experiences, which are a gruelling testimony of what's happening.
November 5, 2025
Devastating read
March 24, 2026
I genuinely don't have words for this book. please read it, bear witness; for their sake.
June 14, 2026
Essential reading.
Free Palestine.
Free Palestine.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews