"Despite the horror and brutality of life under the relentless torture of occupation, the world is astonished that Gazans still hold on to hope. We create hope for others when we insist on believing that Gaza can rise again from the rubble, even as we hear the sounds of bombardment destroying our homes, snatching the lives of our loved ones, and shattering our dreams."
"She was my art teacher in middle school - known not only for her gentle spirit and vibrant energy, but also for the way she made creativity feel like safety. Her talent took her far beyond our borders. Al-Saqqa represented Gaza in international conferences and participated in numerous art exhibitions, both locally and abroad - especially in Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. Her paintings, rich with life and color, found homes across the Gulf."
Awatif Al-Saqqa, a Gaza painter and longtime drawing teacher, continued painting through displacement and bombardment, representing Gaza at international conferences and exhibitions, notably in Turkey and the UAE. Her work, rich with life and color, found homes across the Gulf. Gaza artists persist despite killings and destruction, including the June 30, 2025 killing of painter Frans Al-Salmi, who was shot while painting in a seaside café. Artists maintain creativity as a form of safety and hope, teaching and creating in makeshift classes and amid rubble, refusing to let violence erase cultural expression and communal resilience.
Read at Truthout
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