Beloved Gaza from Colorado!
by Rania Elhelo
Jun 28, 2023
Though distance separates us, my heart holds.Flakes of snow. …Flames of smokeMy hands, frozen of winter’s coldMy heart, ablaze with a fire untoldIn this paradox, stories have yet to unfold.Your resounding sound eclipsed my own.My sound becomes barely known.Embracing my paradox, I’ll weave my tale.Stitching together the unfinished trail.Let the threads of my tale be…
Read MoreEid Is Not A Celebration This Year in Gaza
by Rania Elhelo
May 13, 2021
“The destruction in Gaza is huge and the scale of anxiety, pain and worry is unimaginable. This is beyond a crisis, it’s a catastrophe.”
Read MoreWe’re Going Through Another Tough Period in Gaza
by Rania Elhelo
Aug 25, 2020
Last night, we learned that there are four new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Gaza. Though this might not sound like many, it’s a huge concern here. These are the first known cases that have been detected outside of the quarantine centers located at the Rafah and Erez crossings into Gaza. Up until yesterday, we…
Read MoreIs Gaza Unlivable?
by Rania Elhelo
Apr 1, 2020
A UN report published in 2012 announced that Gaza would be unlivable by 2020. The predictions were about an alarming humanitarian crisis on a small strip of land. Here we are in 2020 and we’re grappling with a global pandemic! It’s hard for the people of Gaza to fully grasp a silent unpredictable enemy like…
Read MoreDisability Won’t Stop Heba’s Dreams of Being Gaza’s Top Horse Rider
by Rania Elhelo
Aug 29, 2017
Hi Heba! Can you tell us about your background? My name is Hebatallah, meaning gift from God in Arabic. I am 17 and in the 11th grade in Gaza City. I am the eldest of three sisters and one brother. I had a congenital amputation at birth. Doctors say my case is so rare. It…
Read MorePhotojournalist Mohammed Zaanoun Reflects on Gaza’s Scars and Beauty
by Rania Elhelo
Aug 7, 2017
Can you tell us about yourself? My name is Mohammed Zaanoun. I am the fourth of 12 siblings. Most of us work in the media world. I was only 19 when I became a news photographer, which had been my parents’ dream. I’ve won several photography awards, but the most prestigious was the “Palestinian Hero…
Read MoreRania’s Diary: Living Without Light in Gaza
by Rania Elhelo
May 10, 2017
Early this week, I took a day off to stay home. It wasn’t for family time, school meetings or having friends over for dinner. I simply took the day off to wash the piles of laundry that had amassed on my balcony. Sadly, people here cannot focus on anything but the Gaza electricity crisis, which…
Read More