The unpublished genocide diaries of Refaat Alareer

The following pieces by Dr. Refaat Alareer, the Palestinian poet, professor and beloved mentor who was murdered in an Israeli airstrike on 6 December 2023, have not been published previously. These pieces will also appear in If I Must Die: Poetry and Prose, an anthology of Alareer’s work compiled with an introduction by Yousef M. Aljamal and published by OR Books.

19 October 2023: In Gaza, we have grown accustomed to war

Horrific experiences of death and destruction have permanently impacted Palestinians’ culture, language and collective memory. “Is it war again?” asks my little Amal, 7, memories of the previous Israeli assaults still fresh in her mind. The wording of the question shows the maturity she has been forced to develop. Last year, Amal asked her mum if it was “another war.”

The children pay the heaviest price. A price of fear and nonstop trauma that is reflected in their behaviors and their reactions. It’s estimated that over 90 percent of Palestinian children in Gaza show signs of trauma. But also, specialists claim there is no post-war trauma in Gaza as the war is still ongoing.

27 October 2023: What it’s like when Israel bombs your building

I was hosting four families of relatives in my flat. Most of them were kids and women. We ran and ran. We carried the little ones and grabbed the small bags with our cash and important documents that Gazans keep at the door every time Israel wages a war.

We ran and ran. We carried the little ones and grabbed the small bags with our cash and important documents that Gazans keep at the door every time Israel wages a war.

We escaped with a miracle, with only bruises and tiny scratches. We checked and found everyone was fine. And then we walked to a nearby UN school shelter, which was in an inhuman condition. We crammed into small classrooms with other families. With that, we lost our last sense of safety. We lost our water. We lost our food and the remaining eggs that Amal loves.