On April 24, Amna Homaid’s torn body lay in the rubble of a house in Shati camp, in the Western part of Gaza city, as rescuers tried to find survivors. An Israeli attack had struck the building, killing her and her eldest son Mahdi. Her brother and her other five children were injured but survived.
Her death was added to the dark statistic of more than 140 journalists and medical workers murdered in Gaza by Israel’s genocidal onslaught, per the count maintained by the Gaza Media Office. This year – like last – more journalists have been killed from Palestine than from any other nation.
Palestinian women journalists have always been at the forefront of Israel’s violent occupation and the wars it has waged on Palestinians. Their bravery and dedication have helped shine light on the suffering and atrocities the Palestinian people have been through and continue to face.
But Amna was more than a journalist; she was a poet and a feminist activist. She was born in Gaza in 1990 to a family who traced their roots to the Palestinian town of Isdud – what the Israelis now call Ashdod.
As is the case for most women in Gaza, Amna’s journey was marked by resilience and an unwavering commitment to education. She obtained a BA from the Islamic University of Gaza in 2016 and later joined a master’s degree programme at Al-Aqsa University. Both of her alma maters have been completely destroyed by Israeli bombardment.
She worked for several local newspapers and radio stations, lending her voice to the marginalised, conducting research and........