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The Olive Press

Gaza Culture Will Not Be Erased

Apr 15, 2025

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If I must die,you must liveto tell my storyto sell my thingsto buy a piece of clothand some strings,(make it white with a long tail)so that a child, somewhere in Gazawhile looking heaven in the eyeawaiting his dad who left in a blaze—and bid no one farewellnot even to his fleshnot even to himself—sees the…

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Gaza’s Survival Depends on Our Steadfastness

Mar 18, 2025

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None of us wanted to believe this could happen again. After nearly two months of a fragile ceasefire, mass destruction and loss of life have returned to Gaza. It may feel familiar, but each new wave of violence is worse than the last — compounding the devastation and deepening the challenges. While much remains uncertain,…

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An Update on Anera’s Staff in Gaza

Jan 12, 2024

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As Anera’s country director in Palestine, I would like to share an update on our staff’s welfare in Gaza. Our colleagues have faced unprecedented challenges over the last three months. When I report on our staff, I always say that they’re all accounted for. They’re all safe and physically unharmed. But they are far from…

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Voices from Gaza: Sandra Rasheed Reflects on Some of her Colleagues in Gaza

Jan 6, 2024

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Anera’s Palestine Country Director Sandra Rasheed dedicated the past month to reflecting on some of her colleagues in Gaza and offering insights into their stories. Through posts on Sandra’s LinkedIn profile spread over the month, she shared the experiences of individuals who tirelessly serve their communities amidst the daily horrors of life in Gaza.

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Local Power, Global Impact: Inside Anera’s Swift Response in Gaza

Nov 15, 2023

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The continuing war in Gaza that started on October 7, and its resulting humanitarian catastrophe, has escalated faster and more intensely than anyone could have anticipated. Anera’s staff had to spring into quick action and I am so very proud of what we have been able to do, despite the overwhelming challenges. First and foremost,…

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Rebuilding Jenin: An Update

Jul 19, 2023

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Yesterday, on July 18, I visited and spent the day in Jenin refugee camp. Entering the camp was like stepping into a colorless world. It’s as if someone took a giant paintbrush and painted everything gray. A member of the popular committee told me “it feels like we were hit by an earthquake.” For the…

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Give to Help Palestine

Jul 5, 2023

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Just hours after the joyous celebrations of Eid Al-Adha began to subside, a new round of violence gripped Jenin. While ongoing escalations of violence have become concerningly common across Palestine, this latest round of destruction, with even more intensity than the fires that scorched the village of Huwara earlier this year, seems to portend spreading…

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Breast Cancer Under Occupation: a Personal Perspective

Mar 16, 2023

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Breast cancer is a disease that affects millions of women around the world. In fact, one in every eight women will get breast cancer in their lifetime. For women living in conflict zones, including the West Bank and Gaza, breast cancer can be particularly scary. When I first learned about the high breast cancer death…

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“We’re Inside a Shroud”

Aug 8, 2022

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“Thank God we survived physically. But psychologically we are inside a shroud.” These were the words from one of our Gaza colleagues this morning. As of this writing, the ceasefire between Israel and Gaza is holding up. Life is returning to normal, such as it is. People are back at the markets and on the…

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