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Every Moment Is a Life: Gaza in the Time of Genocide
Compiled by bestselling author susan abulhawa, an Arabic-English bilingual anthology of true stories from eighteen young Palestinian writers trying to survive the genocide in Gaza.
In early 2024, writer and activist susan abulhawa managed to enter Gaza twice through the Rafah crossing. There, at the Culture and Free Thought Association, susan held a series of workshops for young people who had been displaced to tent encampments. The lives of all participants were marked by unrelenting Israeli violence and extraordinary loss—of home, family, safety, education, electricity, and all the structures of life. They’d fled from place to place as Israel’s colonial violence swirled around them, complete with food and water insecurity and constant threat. Still, despite the bitterness of life in tents and the dangers of travel, they came together to share in the refuge of writing and community.
Samya recounts a tender moment with an old man mending shoes in the street, while her cousin Saja hides books in her closet, hoping they and her home will still be there when she returns. Ghassan is haunted by the baby he rescued from the rubble, who for a time became his son. Fatima risks it all retrieve her clothes from a danger zone buzzing with drones and warplanes. Maram’s loving aunt is gone, and chaos inhabits Amr’s mind. Samah, Lubna, Rizq, and Nebal take us by the hand through raining death, trails of tears, classroom shelters, and shared clothes in crowded tents.
Every Moment Is a Life delivers rare, unfiltered portraits of life under genocide, platforming the emerging voices struggling to survive in Gaza today. These true stories are raw and real, capturing human moments—buying bread, going to the bathroom, sharing a meal, drinking coffee—all set against the backdrop of history’s first livestreamed ethnic cleansing. With courage, anger, love, agony, and—impossibly—hope, these achingly tender voices from Gaza will stay with us, captured in these pages, forever.
*All proceeds go to the contributors in Gaza and to Palestine Writes Literature Festival
In early 2024, writer and activist susan abulhawa managed to enter Gaza twice through the Rafah crossing. There, at the Culture and Free Thought Association, susan held a series of workshops for young people who had been displaced to tent encampments. The lives of all participants were marked by unrelenting Israeli violence and extraordinary loss—of home, family, safety, education, electricity, and all the structures of life. They’d fled from place to place as Israel’s colonial violence swirled around them, complete with food and water insecurity and constant threat. Still, despite the bitterness of life in tents and the dangers of travel, they came together to share in the refuge of writing and community.
Samya recounts a tender moment with an old man mending shoes in the street, while her cousin Saja hides books in her closet, hoping they and her home will still be there when she returns. Ghassan is haunted by the baby he rescued from the rubble, who for a time became his son. Fatima risks it all retrieve her clothes from a danger zone buzzing with drones and warplanes. Maram’s loving aunt is gone, and chaos inhabits Amr’s mind. Samah, Lubna, Rizq, and Nebal take us by the hand through raining death, trails of tears, classroom shelters, and shared clothes in crowded tents.
Every Moment Is a Life delivers rare, unfiltered portraits of life under genocide, platforming the emerging voices struggling to survive in Gaza today. These true stories are raw and real, capturing human moments—buying bread, going to the bathroom, sharing a meal, drinking coffee—all set against the backdrop of history’s first livestreamed ethnic cleansing. With courage, anger, love, agony, and—impossibly—hope, these achingly tender voices from Gaza will stay with us, captured in these pages, forever.
*All proceeds go to the contributors in Gaza and to Palestine Writes Literature Festival
224 pages, Paperback
First published February 10, 2026
About the author
Susan Abulhawa
16 books6,432 followersAlso Susan Abulhawa
(Arabic: سوزان أبو الهوى)
susan abulhawa was born to refugees of the 1967 war when Israel captured what remained of Palestine, including Jerusalem. She currently lives in Pennsylvania with her daughter. She is the founder and President of Playgrounds for Palestine, a children’s organization dedicated to upholding The Right to Play for Palestinian children. Her debut novel, Mornings in Jenin, was an international bestseller, translated into 30 languages. Her second novel, The Blue Between Sky and Water, was likewise a bestseller, translated into 20 languages. The reach of her books and volume of her readership have made abulhawa one of the most widely read Arab authors in the world. Her latest novel, Against the Loveless World is out August 25, 2020.
(Arabic: سوزان أبو الهوى)
susan abulhawa was born to refugees of the 1967 war when Israel captured what remained of Palestine, including Jerusalem. She currently lives in Pennsylvania with her daughter. She is the founder and President of Playgrounds for Palestine, a children’s organization dedicated to upholding The Right to Play for Palestinian children. Her debut novel, Mornings in Jenin, was an international bestseller, translated into 30 languages. Her second novel, The Blue Between Sky and Water, was likewise a bestseller, translated into 20 languages. The reach of her books and volume of her readership have made abulhawa one of the most widely read Arab authors in the world. Her latest novel, Against the Loveless World is out August 25, 2020.
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February 6, 2026
free palestine.
https://emmareadstoomuch.substack.com...
to read these voices from palestine, edited as they were through infrequent whatsapp messages when SIM cards and service could be accessed, to get this glimpse into unfathomable trauma and loss and grief and violence and suffering...it's hard to find words.
i don't know what to say beyond: this was one of the most painful and most profoundly important reading experiences of my life.
bottom line: i urge everyone to pick up this book.
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
https://emmareadstoomuch.substack.com...
to read these voices from palestine, edited as they were through infrequent whatsapp messages when SIM cards and service could be accessed, to get this glimpse into unfathomable trauma and loss and grief and violence and suffering...it's hard to find words.
i don't know what to say beyond: this was one of the most painful and most profoundly important reading experiences of my life.
bottom line: i urge everyone to pick up this book.
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
November 24, 2025
‘...What do you do when you ask someone to respond to a query as soon as possible, only to receive a delayed reply:
“I buried my wife yesterday; please bear with me until the mourning period ends.”
Or:
“I’m ashamed to say… today we left everything behind and fled to the sea. We still haven’t found a place to spend the night. Give me just three days, please, I beg your patience.”
Or:
“If possible, I’ll send the final version of the story on Saturday or Sunday… my brother was martyred.”
How small, how utterly powerless I felt!’
- Huzama Habayeb, Editor
“My heart used to pour words the moment I picked up a pen.
But today I am wordless, powerless to describe what I feel. What I endure.
This horror has drained us, exhausted us, ripped off our limbs and slit our throats from side to side.”
From “Coffee by Old Blue” by Muhammad Mu’ammar
“Can a homeland also be exile?
Can another exile exist within exile?
What is home?
Is home the homeland itself, the soil of a nation?
Or is it the other way around—the homeland is only so if it’s truly home?
If the homeland is the home, why do I feel like a stranger in Rafah—a place just ten minutes from my city, Khan Younis?”
From “A Trail of Soap” by Diana Islayh
4.5 stars.
This was a very quick, yet powerful and heartbreaking read. Some of these essays read like diary or journal entries, some read like short stories, yet all of them are reflections and observations on the writers' past and present lives in Gaza.
This anthology is a notable addition to the body of work by Palestinian writers that are already out there. I didn't realize that the second half of this anthology contains the stories in the original Arabic, so this book is actually a lot shorter than it looks.
I really admire how susan abulhawa champions these Palestinians in Gaza to express themselves in writing in the midst of a genocide. (And risks her life by doing so!) Talk about the power of art! I hope that the act of creation and expression through words were cathartic and healing for all of these writers.
If you're a fan of creative nonfiction, definitely check this out. There are some talented young writers included here.
Here's a list of my favorite essays:
"Coffee by Old Blue" by Muhammad Mu'ammar
"Everyday" by Reema Abu Mousa
"A Trail of Soap" by Diana Islayh
"My Room" by Saja Laham
"The Decision" by Khadija Abu-Lebdeh
"Delirium" by Amrou Al-Najar
"Umbilical Cord" by Maysa Salama
Thank you to Atria/One Signal Publishers and NetGalley for this arc.
October 28, 2025
Susan Abulhawa, a world-class writer and exemplary literary citizen, has broken through the walls of censorship to bring the voices of Gaza to the English speaking world. In these deeply personal stories, Palestinians tell us what it is like to live through the mass murder and wanton destruction imposed by Israel on Gaza. The writings are detailed, specific in their renderings of the daily cataclysm. From sleeping with strangers, the frailty of tents, the sounds of killing, the fear and then reality of endless loss, from the indignity of over-crowded latrines, to panic of dreams, these writers bravely document their memories, desires, transitions from comfort to deprivation, the importance of a cup of coffee, of a memento of a previous life, of the recollection of a hope. A frontline teacher, Abulhawa makes describing the impossible, doable, and the world is made more intelligent by this massive accomplishment.
Read
November 11, 2025abulhawa talks in the intro about how she told those young writers to focus on details, on precise feelings, on what their own senses could record. and i wish she didn't, because that just ensured those stories slice through your heart so much harder. it's unbearable. after over two years of watching a live-stream of a genocide, a simple written story can still make you wanna scream.
Read
March 2, 2026Can't put a star rating on a collection people literally risked their lives to create.
February 15, 2026
There won't be any review as all the words in the world and beyond can't describe the horrors and humiliations the Palestinian people have gone through since 1948.
I thought I understood, while watching, sharing and advocating for the Gazaouis, but no, nothing prepared me for when they started telling their daily struggles.
So, read the book, and you'll see the cruelty, brutality, barbarism and savagery of the zionist oppressor, may he rest eternally in the lowest point of hell.
I thought I understood, while watching, sharing and advocating for the Gazaouis, but no, nothing prepared me for when they started telling their daily struggles.
So, read the book, and you'll see the cruelty, brutality, barbarism and savagery of the zionist oppressor, may he rest eternally in the lowest point of hell.
March 24, 2026
What a beautiful anthology. Such heartbreaking, yet uplifting, stories and snippets of life during genocide in Gaza. I love how this anthology reaffirmed the strength and community-oriented mindset of the people in Gaza. May these writers and the people of Palestine see a free Palestine in their lifetime.
Read
May 26, 2026‘To write stories in the heart of an unfolding genocide is to draw ink from the depths of your own heart. To read stories of genocide, while the slaughter rages relentlessly, unceasingly, means that—at the very least—your heart will be crushed.’ (A Note from the Editor, Huzama Habayeb)
And the book lived up to its promise. It did crush my heart (more than it was already crushed, that is).
This is a bilingual (English-Arabic) anthology of 18 short stories/essays written by young authors based in Gaza, which began in the context of two writing workshops coordinated in-person by susan abullhawa in 2024, and were then collected, translated, and edited by her and Huzama Habayeb.
All the stories were deeply personal (in a way that only one who has been experiencing the terror that has been unfolding in Gaza over the past years could detail) and ineffably soul-crushing. My favourite stories/essays—and by favourite I mean the ones that lingered the longest (and still do) and tightened the knot in my stomach the tightest—were ‘A Trail of Soap’ by Diana Islayh, ‘Every Moment is a Life’ by Rizq Ahmad, ‘The Decision’ by Khadija Abu-Lebdeh, ‘Delirium’ by Amrou Al Najar, ‘Fashionista’ by Fatma Asfour and ‘For the Sake of Diapers’ by Abdallah Al-Sayyed. But every single one of these stories is worth your time.
This is an important book. It cuts through the superficial, zoomed-out lens of mainstream (or social) media reporting on Gaza, defies romanticisation and tokenisation, and captures dimensions of lived experience and ‘routine’ in this moment that (even the most accurate, of which there is little) media coverage cannot easily convey. Should be read by more people.
October 6, 2026
Reading the details and nuances of first hand accounts is more than powerful. These samples of stories repeated hundreds of thousands of times in the past 3 years (plus 78+++) is hard for the human mind to fathom. We can't comprehend large numbers so we break them down into relatable individual stories. Hard to read but necessary.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Able to enter Gaza a few times because of her medical credentials, Susan Abulhawa held a series of writing workshops in early 2024 with Palestinians who had been displaced to tent encampments because of the ongoing g*nocide. This book is a compilation of the stories those individuals wrote about their experiences with i*raeli colonial violence, and the refuge they shared together in writing and sharing their stories in these workshops.
“Palestinians in Gaza should be given every platform to narrate this extraordinary moment in history, the terrible details of which only they can truly know” - Susan Abulhawa.
As i*rael’s relentless g*nocide against Palestinians continues, we must do everything we can to centre their voices, stories, and more. This anthology serves as a way to amplify Palestinian voices and stories, especially when social media and western news sources do everything they can to shadowban and censor Palestinians and those trying to spread awareness.
The stories compiled in this collection are filled with loss, d*ath, grief, violence, colonialism, hope, love, family, and so much more. They are heartbreaking to read, and with each story I wondered whether the writer was still alive. Because according to Dr. Gideon Polya and Professor Richard Hil (see link in bio for article) the d*ath toll in Gaza between October 7th, 2023, and April 2025, is at least 680 000 Palestinians. Please think about that for a moment, not just the numbers but the idea of reading an anthology and wondering and hoping that the writers are still alive. And then, once you’ve realized the significance of that, tell everyone you know about this, because the d*ath toll continues to rise as i*rael attempts to m*rder an entire population for land, greed, racism, the list goes on.
Each story in this compilation is honest and raw. Ghassan Salam wrote about the care he gave to an unknown baby whose family d*ed, and the connection they fostered with them. Salam named the baby Ma’rouf, which means both “known,” and “a kindness.” Saja Laham reflected on their bedroom, a place of comfort and solitude, that they had to leave behind when they were displaced. And Maram Hammou wrote a heartbreaking story of when they found out their aunt had d*ed when their house was b*mbed by the occupation. These are just three of the many stories included in this anthology.
I’m very grateful to have read these stories, ones that will stay with me forever. Each detail and word felt important, and each story evoked so many emotions for me. This book encourages readers to think more critically about the effects of g*nocide and colonial violence. Palestinians are not numbers in injured and d*ath tolls we see in the news everyday; rather, they are humans, individuals who had/have lives, families, loved ones, aspirations, goals, dreams, etc. It’s unfortunately easy to forget something like this when we’re so far removed from it, when we have privilege, and this book serves as a stark reminder that we mustn’t forget this, that we have to continue to remember our shared humanity.
Every Moment Is a Life is a necessary book for everyone to read. Talk about it, SCREAM about it, because liberation is the only thing that matters.
Thank you One Signal Publishers for the ARC!
“Palestinians in Gaza should be given every platform to narrate this extraordinary moment in history, the terrible details of which only they can truly know” - Susan Abulhawa.
As i*rael’s relentless g*nocide against Palestinians continues, we must do everything we can to centre their voices, stories, and more. This anthology serves as a way to amplify Palestinian voices and stories, especially when social media and western news sources do everything they can to shadowban and censor Palestinians and those trying to spread awareness.
The stories compiled in this collection are filled with loss, d*ath, grief, violence, colonialism, hope, love, family, and so much more. They are heartbreaking to read, and with each story I wondered whether the writer was still alive. Because according to Dr. Gideon Polya and Professor Richard Hil (see link in bio for article) the d*ath toll in Gaza between October 7th, 2023, and April 2025, is at least 680 000 Palestinians. Please think about that for a moment, not just the numbers but the idea of reading an anthology and wondering and hoping that the writers are still alive. And then, once you’ve realized the significance of that, tell everyone you know about this, because the d*ath toll continues to rise as i*rael attempts to m*rder an entire population for land, greed, racism, the list goes on.
Each story in this compilation is honest and raw. Ghassan Salam wrote about the care he gave to an unknown baby whose family d*ed, and the connection they fostered with them. Salam named the baby Ma’rouf, which means both “known,” and “a kindness.” Saja Laham reflected on their bedroom, a place of comfort and solitude, that they had to leave behind when they were displaced. And Maram Hammou wrote a heartbreaking story of when they found out their aunt had d*ed when their house was b*mbed by the occupation. These are just three of the many stories included in this anthology.
I’m very grateful to have read these stories, ones that will stay with me forever. Each detail and word felt important, and each story evoked so many emotions for me. This book encourages readers to think more critically about the effects of g*nocide and colonial violence. Palestinians are not numbers in injured and d*ath tolls we see in the news everyday; rather, they are humans, individuals who had/have lives, families, loved ones, aspirations, goals, dreams, etc. It’s unfortunately easy to forget something like this when we’re so far removed from it, when we have privilege, and this book serves as a stark reminder that we mustn’t forget this, that we have to continue to remember our shared humanity.
Every Moment Is a Life is a necessary book for everyone to read. Talk about it, SCREAM about it, because liberation is the only thing that matters.
Thank you One Signal Publishers for the ARC!
January 30, 2026
How do you rate a book like this? Short but harrowing stories from people in the midst of a genocide, they somehow came together to write about their lives while experiencing death and starvation and endless fear at every moment. My heart aches for them, and I’m in awe of their strength.
Order a copy, proceeds go to the contributors in Gaza and to Palestine Writes Literature Festival.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC
Order a copy, proceeds go to the contributors in Gaza and to Palestine Writes Literature Festival.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC
November 6, 2026
I can’t even begin to express how utterly sad and devastating it is to read the people of Gaza and their real life stories and experiences during this horrific genocide. Oh Marouf 😞😞😞 May you be an angel looking down on us all and in the happiest of abodes. 🤲
July 14, 2026
This compilation of essays written by residents of Gaza was first brought to my attention when controversy arose around NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani, his wife Rama Duwaji, and the editor of this book Susan Abulhawa. In March 2026 zionist aggrevators tried to discredit and defame Mamdani by acknowledging that his wife, Rama Duwaji, made an illustration that accompanied an article featuring one of the stories from this collection. When questioned about their association and some of the things that Abulhawa has said in the past, Mamdani was more than happy to cut ties and put distance between him and her, showing like any politician that words are just that and that Palestine truly is the moral litmus test.
Susan Abulhawa is a Palestinian American writer and activist who has visited Gaza, seeing the horrors of genocidal annihilation first hand. She may use vilifying language but I'd imagine anyone who is a direct witness to this level of cruelty and violence would have a deep hatred for a society that champions this level of atrocity. In response to Mamdani's condemnation Abulhawa recorded a video that showcased her disappointment in Mamdani and a deeper explanation of what this book entails. I saw this video and naturally had my interest piqued in wanting to read it.
Every Moment Is A Life, is a compilation of short stories written by residents of Gaza in 2024. Abulhawa conducted writing sessions for participants as a way to document and share their experiences, processing what dehumanization at the hands of violence, starvation, and alienation has done. In her introduction Albuhawa details the circumstances that participants went through in order to attend these sessions, traveling through perilous stretches of land in order to offer these word that were written.
Most stories only span a few pages but they leave a deep impact. I mentioned this when I read Plestia Alaqad's memoir The Eyes of Gaza: A Diary of Resiliance, I remarked how surprising it was that after reading so many post October 7th books on Palestine that it was the first I'd read from someone actually experiencing this genocide first hand. Reading Every Moment Is A Life I get to expand on that insight, something that I believe is really the only perspective worth reading at this point when it comes to Gaza as so many other voices have cluttered the discussion with their own personal motives. I've enjoyed and recommended many impactful works by diaspora Palestinians but nothing quite offers this level of insight like a first hand account. If you have yet to read a work from someone in this position this is a great place to start.
The stories in this collection offer a chance at humanity for a people who have been dehumanized at every other given opportunity. We are currently rounding out year three of this genocide and at this point even a video post on your phone of a baby starving, or a child dismembered, or a grandmother forced into exile once again is met with a quick swipe away. Reading a book like this allows that person the dignity and respect they deserve as you spend a few minutes wrapped in their words, seeing the world through their eyes; even if just for a moment. There is more than just a crying face but a person who loves, who dreams, who wishes, who aspires, who laughs, who craves, who lusts, who prays, who fears, who fights, who wants to live just like any of us. It's this opportunity we have to recognize that which make this book so great.
Susan Abulhawa is a Palestinian American writer and activist who has visited Gaza, seeing the horrors of genocidal annihilation first hand. She may use vilifying language but I'd imagine anyone who is a direct witness to this level of cruelty and violence would have a deep hatred for a society that champions this level of atrocity. In response to Mamdani's condemnation Abulhawa recorded a video that showcased her disappointment in Mamdani and a deeper explanation of what this book entails. I saw this video and naturally had my interest piqued in wanting to read it.
Every Moment Is A Life, is a compilation of short stories written by residents of Gaza in 2024. Abulhawa conducted writing sessions for participants as a way to document and share their experiences, processing what dehumanization at the hands of violence, starvation, and alienation has done. In her introduction Albuhawa details the circumstances that participants went through in order to attend these sessions, traveling through perilous stretches of land in order to offer these word that were written.
Most stories only span a few pages but they leave a deep impact. I mentioned this when I read Plestia Alaqad's memoir The Eyes of Gaza: A Diary of Resiliance, I remarked how surprising it was that after reading so many post October 7th books on Palestine that it was the first I'd read from someone actually experiencing this genocide first hand. Reading Every Moment Is A Life I get to expand on that insight, something that I believe is really the only perspective worth reading at this point when it comes to Gaza as so many other voices have cluttered the discussion with their own personal motives. I've enjoyed and recommended many impactful works by diaspora Palestinians but nothing quite offers this level of insight like a first hand account. If you have yet to read a work from someone in this position this is a great place to start.
The stories in this collection offer a chance at humanity for a people who have been dehumanized at every other given opportunity. We are currently rounding out year three of this genocide and at this point even a video post on your phone of a baby starving, or a child dismembered, or a grandmother forced into exile once again is met with a quick swipe away. Reading a book like this allows that person the dignity and respect they deserve as you spend a few minutes wrapped in their words, seeing the world through their eyes; even if just for a moment. There is more than just a crying face but a person who loves, who dreams, who wishes, who aspires, who laughs, who craves, who lusts, who prays, who fears, who fights, who wants to live just like any of us. It's this opportunity we have to recognize that which make this book so great.
February 23, 2026
"I try to write, hoping words might ease the loss and grief carved on our hearts—the loss of people, home, places. The loss of Gaza, of the world we knew.
Thousands of stories. Thousands of cold houses, without their families. Thousands of empty embraces. All form the memory of a city grieving alone, suffering alone, and dying alone in this world.
I no longer want to be part of Gaza's calamity and of her inferno. Let her die alone.
But leave us something. A root. A green stem. A patch of green earth. A disobedient wind. An untamed sea. Water drawn from the well of memory. A naughty child laughing. A heart pounding with first love. And a future yet to come."
A future yet to come. Free Palestine.
Thousands of stories. Thousands of cold houses, without their families. Thousands of empty embraces. All form the memory of a city grieving alone, suffering alone, and dying alone in this world.
I no longer want to be part of Gaza's calamity and of her inferno. Let her die alone.
But leave us something. A root. A green stem. A patch of green earth. A disobedient wind. An untamed sea. Water drawn from the well of memory. A naughty child laughing. A heart pounding with first love. And a future yet to come."
A future yet to come. Free Palestine.
February 7, 2026
Thank you to Atria/One Signal Publishers for the free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review
The circumstances that led to an anthology like this existing are inhumane. As a result, editors susan abulhawa and Huzama Habayeb have given us a precious gift.
In the early months of Israel’s latest genocidal war against Palestinians, writer and activist susan abulhawa was able to enter Gaza and deliver several writing workshops to a range of Palestinians, empowering them to express whatever they wanted about what they were feeling and going through. The result is a diverse, raw, and powerful collection of short creative nonfiction essays that give voice to ordinary Palestinians whose experiences are often absent from traditional Western media.
Because some of the contributors have never written before, the quality of the stories told varies, but what’s consistent is the emotion behind them all. They write about moments in their lives that are small in scope, but that increase in magnitude of horror when you realize that this is all happening in the midst of an active genocide.
Leaving a childhood bedroom with all your possessions behind seems like such an ordinary thing, until it hits you that this is no ordinary goodbye, because this could be for forever.
A widow who struggles to part with the wooden bed she shared with her now-deceased beloved; this could be just the typical struggle of someone letting go of their deceased loved ones’ belongings, except that in her situation it’s because her family are asking her to sacrifice her bed to use as kindling to fight off the crippling cold, because there’s no other fuel left.
Two stories stand out the most for me. In “A Trail of Soap,” Diana Islayh’s description of her clutching a handful of dripping dish soap as she debates over how badly she needs to go stand in line for the absolutely filthy sole public toilets remaining in her neighborhood had me abandoning my meal. And in Fatma Asfour’s “Fashionista,” a defiant young Rosa, sheltering in an overcrowded school, risks her life to go back home to retrieve some of her beloved clothes, shoes, and accessories so that she can feel herself again.
EVERY MOMENT IS A LIFE forces you to live through horrific moments and emotions with Palestinians. If anyone can read this and not be moved to tears and empathy, you should probably cut them out of your life. Free Palestine forever.
The circumstances that led to an anthology like this existing are inhumane. As a result, editors susan abulhawa and Huzama Habayeb have given us a precious gift.
In the early months of Israel’s latest genocidal war against Palestinians, writer and activist susan abulhawa was able to enter Gaza and deliver several writing workshops to a range of Palestinians, empowering them to express whatever they wanted about what they were feeling and going through. The result is a diverse, raw, and powerful collection of short creative nonfiction essays that give voice to ordinary Palestinians whose experiences are often absent from traditional Western media.
Because some of the contributors have never written before, the quality of the stories told varies, but what’s consistent is the emotion behind them all. They write about moments in their lives that are small in scope, but that increase in magnitude of horror when you realize that this is all happening in the midst of an active genocide.
Leaving a childhood bedroom with all your possessions behind seems like such an ordinary thing, until it hits you that this is no ordinary goodbye, because this could be for forever.
A widow who struggles to part with the wooden bed she shared with her now-deceased beloved; this could be just the typical struggle of someone letting go of their deceased loved ones’ belongings, except that in her situation it’s because her family are asking her to sacrifice her bed to use as kindling to fight off the crippling cold, because there’s no other fuel left.
Two stories stand out the most for me. In “A Trail of Soap,” Diana Islayh’s description of her clutching a handful of dripping dish soap as she debates over how badly she needs to go stand in line for the absolutely filthy sole public toilets remaining in her neighborhood had me abandoning my meal. And in Fatma Asfour’s “Fashionista,” a defiant young Rosa, sheltering in an overcrowded school, risks her life to go back home to retrieve some of her beloved clothes, shoes, and accessories so that she can feel herself again.
EVERY MOMENT IS A LIFE forces you to live through horrific moments and emotions with Palestinians. If anyone can read this and not be moved to tears and empathy, you should probably cut them out of your life. Free Palestine forever.
September 26, 2026
Susan Abulhawa came to Gaza on a humanitarian mission. She asked community members what would be helpful for her to bring next time. They told her that it would be helpful for her to lead a creative writing workshop (aid for the soul if you will, the body needs nourishment but so too does the soul). That is exactly what she did and this collection of stories is the creative production of those workshops!! A beautiful beautiful premise for a book.
She helped her students edit these pieces (via Whatsapp!) and turned them into this book. Both the english translation and the original arabic are included along with a photo and description of each author. It is really really well done. Each person is honored and respected and able to tell thier own story.
You may be thinking that a collection of short stories/vignettes by amatuer writers would not be that good but that is incorrect! I thought so too and was v much proven wrong. Other then 1-2 stories, every work in here was astronomically well done. The ones that had the greatest impact on me where the slice of life stories (I'm still thinking about them tbh). I hope all these writers are still alive and still writing (and that they continue to live and write for many years to come).
She helped her students edit these pieces (via Whatsapp!) and turned them into this book. Both the english translation and the original arabic are included along with a photo and description of each author. It is really really well done. Each person is honored and respected and able to tell thier own story.
You may be thinking that a collection of short stories/vignettes by amatuer writers would not be that good but that is incorrect! I thought so too and was v much proven wrong. Other then 1-2 stories, every work in here was astronomically well done. The ones that had the greatest impact on me where the slice of life stories (I'm still thinking about them tbh). I hope all these writers are still alive and still writing (and that they continue to live and write for many years to come).
January 7, 2026
This is a very short book of narratives by young Palestinians about their experiences during the war in Gaza. I struggled with the editor’s framing of the book—the very first page refers to October 7th as an “indigenous resistance operation” rather than the insane massacre I know. But I don’t agree with the mass bombing of Gaza, and I was grateful to read these narratives about people’s experiences as refugees and struggling through it all. The repeated mentions of coffee were striking—when you have lost almost everything, what makes someone feel they can keep going? Apparently, coffee.
The short narratives are almost all very well written. I was disappointed to realize that the English part of the ebook ends at about 40% of the total pages—the rest is in Arabic.
I received an advance reader copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
The short narratives are almost all very well written. I was disappointed to realize that the English part of the ebook ends at about 40% of the total pages—the rest is in Arabic.
I received an advance reader copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
January 16, 2026
Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is an extremely powerful book with powerful, firsthand accounts of the genocide in Gaza. Every story moved me deeply and made me cry several times. These writers writing and creating art in the midst of drones and bombs and displacements. I’m holding each one in my heart.
It’s also a short read, but every story will hold your attention! Definitely recommend this to anyone wanting to read about Palestinians real time experience in Gaza and with the IOF. Some of my favorite pieces were Coffee by Old Blue by Muhammad Mu’ammar, Ma’Rouf by Ghassan Salam, and For Gaza to Leave Us Something by Neal Al-Najjar.
Everyone add this to your tbr! It comes out Feb 10th!
CW: war, genocide, violence, bombings, death, injury/injury detail, grief
This is an extremely powerful book with powerful, firsthand accounts of the genocide in Gaza. Every story moved me deeply and made me cry several times. These writers writing and creating art in the midst of drones and bombs and displacements. I’m holding each one in my heart.
It’s also a short read, but every story will hold your attention! Definitely recommend this to anyone wanting to read about Palestinians real time experience in Gaza and with the IOF. Some of my favorite pieces were Coffee by Old Blue by Muhammad Mu’ammar, Ma’Rouf by Ghassan Salam, and For Gaza to Leave Us Something by Neal Al-Najjar.
Everyone add this to your tbr! It comes out Feb 10th!
CW: war, genocide, violence, bombings, death, injury/injury detail, grief
April 22, 2026
wow. just wow. every story i read was so beautiful and each gave a different kind of insight on what it’s like to live through genocide, so many of their stories things i had never seen attention on or never seen people discuss, but all equally important. very tragic book and a hard read, but nonetheless essential to. the one thing is, it was a hard book to have read consecutively because when one story ends and you start the next it feels like you move on really quickly rather than sitting with what you just read and attempting to comprehend it, break it down, simply feel it.
i wish each of these authors would write an entire book, i’d read it. i kept wondering what happened to them since writing these stories in early 2024. so much tragedy and pain and violence has been inflicted on gaza since then. are they even alive still?
i wish each of these authors would write an entire book, i’d read it. i kept wondering what happened to them since writing these stories in early 2024. so much tragedy and pain and violence has been inflicted on gaza since then. are they even alive still?
April 6, 2026
Every Moment Is a Life: Gaza in the Time of Genocide isn’t just a book. It feels more like a collective cry straight from the heart of Gaza.
It’s a bilingual anthology of raw, deeply personal essays written by eighteen young Palestinian writers who are living through what they describe as the genocide of our time. Honest, sometimes brutally honest, pieces about what it means to wake up every day not knowing if you or your family will still be alive by evening. About fear, grief, small moments of tenderness, and the quiet stubbornness of simply refusing to disappear.
It’s a bilingual anthology of raw, deeply personal essays written by eighteen young Palestinian writers who are living through what they describe as the genocide of our time. Honest, sometimes brutally honest, pieces about what it means to wake up every day not knowing if you or your family will still be alive by evening. About fear, grief, small moments of tenderness, and the quiet stubbornness of simply refusing to disappear.
March 24, 2026
This reminds me a bit of Gaza Writes Back edited by Refaat Alareer (RIP) who, like Susan Abulhawa, taught aspiring authors in Gaza to hone their crafts and share their stories in their own voices.
While many of these writings describe pain, loss, and suffering, there is also belonging, gratefulness, and hope. The stories of those in Gaza are devalued and disregarded by so many western leaders, outlets, and agencies. We have an opportunity to listen to them and let them move us.
While many of these writings describe pain, loss, and suffering, there is also belonging, gratefulness, and hope. The stories of those in Gaza are devalued and disregarded by so many western leaders, outlets, and agencies. We have an opportunity to listen to them and let them move us.
June 6, 2026
One of the most powerful books I’ve read in a long time. The stories are short, but they hit hard and have really stayed with me. What struck me most was how many people are still able to find joy, laughter, connection, and hope in the smallest moments, even when they have lost so much. It’s a perspective I think a lot of us need. Reading it made me realize how much we take for granted every single day and how resilient people can be in the face of unimaginable circumstances. I genuinely think everyone should pick this book up.
July 29, 2026
This is a very small collection of very short essays that capture moments from everyday life in Gaza in the midst of genocide. There are essays about using shared public restrooms, searching through rubble for clothes, coffee, taking care of a child, etc. The scale of incredible loss is not always a focus, but it's present throughout the collection. It's not a light read. It's a worthwhile one, though.
September 16, 2026
Incredibly important, extremely heartbreaking, required reading. I really respect Susan Abulhawa for many things, but in this case for using her platform and skillset to give the stage with Palestinians in Gaza to let them tell their own stories.
(I already explained why I hated “One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This”, but this is the complete opposite book and exactly what someone who cares about the genocide and not themselves would’ve done instead of write that book.)
(I already explained why I hated “One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This”, but this is the complete opposite book and exactly what someone who cares about the genocide and not themselves would’ve done instead of write that book.)
January 11, 2026
Thank you so Atria Books for an arc copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was a deeply emotional collection of stories. The writings brought me to tears many times. Each story was detailed and very compelling. They exhibited a range of emotions from grief to love to hope.
It is hard to put into words the importance of this book. It is one that everyone should read.
This was a deeply emotional collection of stories. The writings brought me to tears many times. Each story was detailed and very compelling. They exhibited a range of emotions from grief to love to hope.
It is hard to put into words the importance of this book. It is one that everyone should read.
March 17, 2026
Poruszająca! Polecam BARDZO. Czytajmy osoby z Palestyny.
March 29, 2026
Absolutely harrowing. A must-read.
September 16, 2026
A must read to give a personal and detailed telling of the genocide.
October 27, 2026
Reading about Gaza is never going to be anything short of soul-shattering
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