1st May Labour Day : The Seven Factory Girls.

It is May Day — Labour Day, aka International Workers Day in Egypt — and I have to say that, despite all the official statements, I am a bit disappointed and angry.

Two weeks ago, Egypt had its own mini–Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, and it did not stay in the news cycle for more than 72 hours — or, to be more accurate, the social media news cycle — before it disappeared. And that made me angry.

On 14 April, a tragic incident unfolded in the Ard El-Geneina area of Cairo's working-class Al-Zawiya Al-Hamra neighbourhood, after a massive fire broke out inside a sports trainers and sneakers factory on Mohamed Amin Street.

Preliminary investigations confirmed seven people dead, as civil defence forces continued to comb through the site to identify any additional casualties or injuries resulting from the blaze.

That was the initial official statement. Then, unofficially, the details of the tragedy began to emerge.

Seven young women died, and five others were injured after a fire broke out in an unlicensed shoe manufacturing workshop in a very narrow alley in Cairo's Zawiya Al-Hamra district, authorities said.

The blaze erupted inside a three-storey building of approximately 70 square metres per floor, operating without a license as a leather shoe production facility. The ground floor was used for storage, while the first and second floors served as production areas — a layout that accelerated the fire's spread due to the concentration of flammable materials on site.

The so-called factory after the fire

The victims were girls between 19 and 30 years old, earning roughly 100 Egyptian pounds per day.

An initial inspection found a complete absence of occupational safety measures and no emergency exits, which investigators say trapped the workers as the fire spread rapidly through the smoke-filled space over nearly four hours.

Eyewitnesses reported that the doors were locked and the windows were closed and secured, blocking any means of escape.

Residents called for a full investigation and accountability for all parties responsible, starting with the workshop owner, who denied any wrongdoing. Security forces arrested the workshop's owner following the incident.

The incident — a grim echo of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire — renewed scrutiny of unlicensed industrial operations and the enforcement of safety regulations in residential buildings across Cairo.

Ramadan Arabian Nights 2026: The Tale of King al-Nu’man “A storm brewing Ep.16”

Ramadan Kareem to all Egyptian Chronicles readers.

Tonight, we will learn how al-Nu’man’s children come to their senses and stop fighting over their father’s throne.

But first, it is time for our little chit-chat.

It won’t be about how history becomes myth, but rather about one of Egypt’s legendary supporting actors who plays a role in our tale. Tonight, I will speak about the late Egyptian actor.

Tonight’s chit-chat will not be about how history turns into myth, but rather about one of Egypt’s legendary supporting actors who plays a role in our tale. Tonight, I will speak about the late Egyptian actress Naima Wasfi.

Naima Wasfi plays the role of the wicked Stormbreaker, the scheming woman who got rid of al-Nu’man and was on the verge of sparking a civil war among his sons.

Wasfi was among the queens of supporting actors in Egypt and the Arab world during the 20th century.

Born in February 1923 to a middle-class family in Upper Egypt’s Assiut, Naima Wasfi’s theatrical talent began to emerge while she was still in primary school. She started her creative journey by writing short stories, poetry, and zajal (colloquial verse). Later, she worked as a teacher before eventually settling in Cairo.

In Cairo, she began frequenting theatres and gradually became acquainted with people in the artistic community. There, she met the actress Nagla Ibrahim, who encouraged her to pursue acting.

As a result, Naima Wasfi enrolled at the Institute of Dramatic Arts, founded by Zaki Tulaimat in the mid-1940s, and obtained her diploma in 1947. She was then appointed to the Modern Theatre Troupe, which Tulaimat had established for the institute’s graduates.

Wasfi later moved to the National Theatre Troupe. In 1952, she began her career in cinema, making her first appearances in Egyptian films. Over the course of her career, she appeared in more than 30 films.

In addition to acting, she also wrote several television series and worked on numerous radio shows.

Aside from her artistic work, Naima Wasfi wrote a weekly column in Rose al-Youssef magazine. A longtime socialist, she served as Secretary for Women’s Affairs in the Arab Socialist Union for the Greater Cairo area. She contributed to literacy campaigns that helped educate many young women.

She was married to the journalist Abdel Hamid Saraya after what was described as a great love story. The couple had three children.

Out of deep love for her husband, she later wrote a moving elegy after his death—a poem so painful that she rarely wished to speak about it.

Naima Wasfi passed away on 7 August 1983 at the age of 60.

Now, enough chit-chat.

Let us now see what is going to happen in the 107th episode of One Thousand and One Nights, as originally broadcast on Egyptian State Radio.

Kodak Agfa Presents: Umm Kulthum .. The Voice of Egypt Exhibit in photos

Today marks the 51st anniversary of the death of Egypt’s legendary singer, Umm Kulthum.

Over the past year, Egypt hosted several events to commemorate the jubilee of the Planet of the East’s passing, beginning on 3 February 2025.

Last February, Egyptian Chronicles paid a visit to her small yet remarkably rich museum, which chronicles her life and legacy.

This year, I’m sharing another quick visit—this time to a special exhibition held in her honor by Egypt’s Ministry of Culture at Aisha Fahmy Palace, the Centre of Arts in Cairo’s Zamalek.

Titled “The Voice of Egypt,” the exhibition lived up to its name: Thuma truly was the voice of Egypt.

Umm Kalthoum statue between paintings

Held at Aisha Fahmy Palace from August through November 2025, the exhibition proved to be a major success.

I visited it in October.

Inside Thuma's exhibit

The exhibition included many things. "Spoiler: Keep reading and scroll down the post—the best is yet to come, and the true gems of the exhibition are just below. Make sure to read to the end."

It featured a selection of Umm Kulthum’s personal belongings, on loan from her museum on Al-Manial Island, including her notebook, pen, gloves, and sunglasses.

The Odyssey of the Madleen: The Fragility of Power and the Bravery of Twelve

The Madleen, a ship carrying 12 aid workers on a mission to break the Israeli siege on Gaza, has become an odyssey of both hope and defiance.

Early Monday, UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese reported that she was in live contact with the Freedom Flotilla Coalition’s Madleen crew when the ship was approached by five Israeli speedboats circling the vessel in international waters.

The ship’s captain instructed the team to remain calm and seated, with their passports and life jackets readily available. Albanese, who was simultaneously tweeting updates, heard the crew informing Israeli soldiers that they were carrying humanitarian aid and intended to reach Gaza peacefully. At that point, the Israeli boats were circling but had not yet intervened.

Albanese, an Italian lawyer and human rights advocate, confirmed that she was still online with the team and recording events in real-time.

Brazilian activist Thiago Ávila also spoke out about the escalating situation while on board the vessel on his Instagram account.

According to military observers, the Madleen was then reportedly attacked by Shayetet 13—Israel’s elite naval commandos, the same unit responsible for the deadly raid on the Gaza flotilla in 2010.

Moments later, the speedboats briefly withdrew. Then came the drones.

At 12:40 a.m. UK time, Albanese reported that Israeli drones were releasing white paint onto the deck of the Madleen, marking a chilling new phase of the confrontation.

By 12:51 a.m. UK time, the crew of the Madleen remained in good spirits, though they had taken cover due to two Israeli quadcopters hovering overhead.

When Valentina Tereshkova visited Egypt

A Little Break Post – Escaping the Depressing News from the Middle East and Beyond

In case you missed it, American pop star Katy Perry, journalist Gayle King, Lauren Sánchez (Jeff Bezos’ fiancée), and three other women travelled on Monday aboard a Blue Origin suborbital space tourism flight.

Blue Origin, owned and operated by Bezos, launched this all-female crew on a short journey beyond Earth's atmosphere. According to media reports, Sánchez personally selected the crew members for this flight.

This “trip” reached the Kármán line — the commonly accepted boundary between Earth’s atmosphere and outer space — which lies at an altitude of 100 kilometres (62 miles).

As expected, the 10-minute flight — filled with awkwardly staged moments, especially those featuring Katy Perry — quickly turned into a meme fest online.

Some U.S. mainstream media outlets and social media users even went so far as to claim it was the first all-female trip to space.

That’s not only factually incorrect — it's also a bit offensive.

So, to set the record straight: the first "all-female space mission" wasn't in 2024. It happened in 1963, and the entire crew was Valentina Tereshkova.

Valentina Tereshkova and the Pyramids generated by Chat-GPT as risograph print 

The real pioneer of an all-female spaceflight was Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova, who made history in June 1963.

Gaza War: What the Palestinians say on Mother’s Day 2025 in Gaza “March Edition” {Warning: Graphic}

We are back to the war in Gaza and for the second year in a row, Gaza celebrates Mother’s Day in war.

The Arab World celebrates Mother’s Day on 21 March thanks to the Mustafa and Aly Amin brothers.

For the second year in a row, Palestinian mothers and children in Gaza celebrate it under the Israeli shelling as the Israeli government broke the ceasefire “it broke it since day one” and resumed the war.

We are back to see those scenes where a mother mourns her only child or her children or a child mourns his or her child.

Mother and Child by Palestinian renowned artist Silman Mansour 

Those videos were filmed in Gaza in the past five days.

From Khan Younes, a mother woke up to find out that her children and husband were killed in an Israeli airstrike. They were already sleeping without Suhoor.

Ramadan Arabian Nights 2025 : The Tale of Fatima, Halima and Karima “ The fate of Fatima , Halima and Karima” EP.13

Ramadan Kareem

Tonight, we will know not only why Fatima did not bring the oil or the remaining money to her evil stepmom but also the future fate of the three girls, but first, a little chitchat.

For decades, many Egyptians and Arabs thought that Taher Abu Fasha chose the names of Fatima, Halima and Karima because of the rhythm. Thus it was a generational surprise when we found out that there could be a real inspiration behind the names of Fatima, Halima and Karima, and she was indeed a royalty, somehow a princess.

Yes, a princess. Princess Karima Halima Fatima of Egyptian Mohamed Ali Royal Family. holds probably the longest woman’s first name in the history of modern Egypt.

Noblewoman Karima Halima Fatima Mohamed Abdel Halim was born on March 15, 1898. She was the daughter of Prince Mohamed Abbas Halim, the son of Mohamed Abdel Halim Pasha, and the grandson of Mohamed Ali Pasha. On her mother's side, she was the granddaughter of Khedive Tawfiq, as her mother was Princess Fakhr Al-Nisa Khadija, the daughter of Khedive Tawfiq.

Karima had five sisters: Wojdan, Amina, Tawfiqa, Naematallah, and Zeinab.

Her first marriage was to Osman Fuad Oğlu (1873–1922), who served as the commander of Ottoman forces in Libya during World War I. The couple did not have any children.

Real noblewoman Karima Halima Fatima Helmy
wearing her Cartier tiara 

She later married Prince Youssef Kamal on January 11, 1937, but their marriage was short-lived. They divorced on October 29 of the same year.

Karima passed away on March 28, 1971.

According to Egypt’s Royal Story Facebook page “Best source of Modern Egyptian Royal History FB page” in 1935, her financial allowance was recorded at LE 600. She was also known for owning a remarkable Cartier tiara, crafted around 1930. The versatile piece could be worn as a necklace, bracelet, or a set of brooches.

Designed in an elaborate lotus motif, the tiara was made of platinum and adorned with small diamonds and round brilliant-cut diamonds, totaling approximately 52.50 carats, with a length of about 420 mm.

In 1980, the tiara was sold by an unknown owner at Christie’s for $75,000. In November 2010, an Italian noble family acquired it from Sotheby’s for $185,650. In 2015, it was resold at Sotheby’s for $287,277. Its current owner remains unknown.

Despite the lack of concrete proof that Karima Halima Fatima of the Mohamed Ali Royal Family inspired the tale of the three sisters, many, including myself, believe that folklorist Taher Abu Fasha may have drawn inspiration for their names from this noblewoman.

Now we will leave the real Karima Halima Fatima, May Allah bless her soul and go to the fictional Fatima, Halima and Karima’s world.

So without further delay, here is the 685th episode of our Arabian Nights Egyptian radio show—or the 13th night in this year’s tale, The Tale of Fatima, Halima, and Karima.

Ramadan Arabian Nights 2025 : The Tale of Fatima, Halima and Karima “Into her web ” EP.7

Ramadan Kareem

Before Scheherazade continues her tale and we discover what happened to Fatima, Halima, and Karima as they fall deeper into the web of their auntie Reema, it’s time for a little chitchat and some trivia about this season of One Thousand and One Nights, Egypt’s legendary radio show.

Our radio Scheherazade, Zouzou Nabil, portrayed Reema in the 1987 TV adaptation of the tale. However, the Reema we hear in this Ramadan’s radio broadcast is voiced by the renowned Egyptian actress Malak El-Gamal.

Colorized photo of Malak El-Gamal in 1966 "Tofahet Adam"

I had recognized Reema’s voice in the radio version as familiar, yet I couldn’t pinpoint which veteran actress it belonged to—until I stumbled upon the answer by accident.

Born in Port Said in 1929, El-Gamal graduated from the Faculty of Arts, English Department, before enrolling at the Higher Institute of Acting Arts. She began her career in radio before transitioning to theater and eventually becoming a well-known film actress, specializing in complex roles, particularly as a villain.

She is remembered as the first Egyptian actress to portray a queer character on the silver screen in Salah Abu Seif’s El-Tareeq El-Masdood (1958), based on Ihsan Abdel Quddous' novel. The role was groundbreaking, even though the character was one of the antagonists the heroine encounters in her journey.

Her role in the 1962 film Black Candles was a classic performance, and she became a horror icon despite the film not being a horror movie.

Both Malak El-Gamal and Zouzou Nabil are among Egypt’s legendary villainesses and radio icons. If Nabil was our Radio Scheherazade, then El-Gamal was our talkative, bubbly Auntie Bamba—the beloved voice who guided Egyptian housewives for 12 years on the famous radio show To the Housewives, the oldest and longest-running program in Egyptian radio history. It has been on air for an astounding 71 years.

The showrunner and presenter of To the Housewives was Safia El-Mohandas, the wife of Mahmoud Shaaban—the creator and showrunner of the One Thousand and One Nights radio series. It is no surprise that both Shaaban and El-Mohandas are often referred to as the father and mother of Egyptian radio broadcasting.

Now, back to Malak El-Gamal—the Villainess Queen. It is said that she was the true muse of the famous Egyptian poet Ibrahim Nagi and the inspiration behind his iconic poem Al-Atlal (The Ruins), which was later immortalized in song by Umm Kulthum. Ironically, another theory suggests that the true muse was none other than Zouzou Hamdy El-Hakim, the undisputed queen of villainous roles in Egyptian cinema.

Malak El-Gamal’s career and life were tragically short. She passed away in 1982, following the deaths of her son and grandson. Yet, her legacy as one of Egyptian cinema’s most unforgettable villainesses of the 1960s and 1970s remains unparalleled.

Honestly, I felt it was a great opportunity to remember and shed some light on that fine actor.

Now, here is the 679th episode of our Arabian Nights Egyptian radio show—or the seventh night in this year’s tale, The Tale of Fatima, Halima, and Karima but first refresh your memory and remember what Reema did last night. 

Ramadan Arabian Nights 2025 : The Tale of Fatima, Halima and Karima “Thus came Reema” EP.5

Ramadan Kareem.

Before we tune in to Scheherazade to find out what the Sultan did with the mysterious fair maiden—the one who owns the palace that appeared out of nowhere and refuses to be questioned in her domain—let’s have a little chitchat, as usual.

In the televised adaptation of our tale, Zouzou Nabil, our original radio Scheherazade, will appear as Reema. I won’t give away any spoilers about Reema just yet.

Legendary Zouzou Nabil in 1947-Ahkam Al-Arab film "The Arab rulings" 

Born in 1920, Aziza or Zouzou Nabil portrayed Scheherazade for more than 23 years on our radio show, which was produced by Egyptian State TV.

Though she was never a leading lady in cinema or television, Zouzou Nabil appeared in 80 films between 1939 and 1996 and 72 TV series from 1962 to 1996, including seven adaptations of One Thousand and One Nights.

Here’s a little piece of information I only recently learned: Zouzou Nabil had one son, who was killed in the October 1973 war.

Enough of the chitchat—now, let’s tune in to Zouzou Nabil, the legendary voice of Scheherazade, in the fifth episode of our tale this year, or the 677th episode of the beloved radio show.

Kodak Agfa Presents: Cairo’s Umm Kulthum Museum in photos and video

It was like a perfect cinematic moment that Saturday afternoon. Just two days before the 50th anniversary of Umm Kulthum’s passing, you step out of her small yet rich museum in Cairo, still enveloped in the aura of her larger-than-life presence.

Outside, by the Nile, an old yet elegant man sits alone, detached from the world around him. From the small speakers of his mobile phone drifts the voice of Umm Kulthum, chanting "Lailat Hob"—her last recorded love song. He gazes into the river, lost in a trance, as though the currents carry the echoes of his own memories, entwined with the Lady’s immortal voice.

It was a perfect Egyptian scene. I wanted to capture it, to ask him what Umm Kulthum meant to him. But I did not dare, unwilling to be the one to pull him back to reality.

That scene summarizes a lot about Umm Kulthum and Egyptians if not Arabs.

Umm Kulthum's statue outside her museum in Al-Manial island 

On Monday Egypt remembered that 50 years ago it woke up to find its “Planet of East” Umm Kulthum passed away after having

Umm Kulthum died on the same day the music died in the US. She died but her legacy and art still stand as the true fourth pyramid in Egypt.

According to historians and those who witnessed the day, her funeral was a popular one to the level that people compared to the funeral of the second president of Egypt and her lifelong fan Gamal Abdel Nasser.

Yes, Umm Kulthum Ibrahim, the singer who came from rural Nile Delta’s Tamay e-Zahayra village had the biggest public funeral of a woman in Egypt in the modern age if not in the nation’s long recorded history.

I can’t speak about Umm Kulthum or Thuma or the Dame “as we nickname her in Egypt for decades” easily thus I would focus on her museum.

Umm Kulthum Museum is located inside the Nilometer-Manasterly Palace site on Manial Al-Roda Island in Cairo.

Egyptian Chronicles’ Movers and Shakers of 2024 "Updated"

Welcome to the 2024 edition of Egyptian Chronicles' Movers and Shakers!

It’s that time of year again for our annual post.

Here is my list of those I believe to be the movers and shakers of 2024 in Egypt, the Arab world, and beyond.

This is not a list of the "top" individuals but rather those who left an impact for better or worse. The good, the bad, and the ugly all make an appearance. The naughty and the goody-goody are here too.

I didn’t publish the 2023 edition due to the war in Gaza—a decision I now regret.

But now, let’s dive into my top picks for the Movers and Shakers of 2024.

Regional shakers and movers

• The Palestinian people in Gaza:

Does this need any explanation? The most resilient people in the world are facing genocide while steadfastly refusing to leave their land. Many are unaware that Palestinians could storm the Egyptian border and seek refuge in Sinai under international law, which obligates Egypt to receive them. Yet, the Palestinians of Gaza choose to remain because they know Gaza is their last frontier.

Palestinian man Ismail Al-Khlout reads the Quran as he waits to break his fast in
Ramadan "March" while sitting on the rubble of his house. Mahmoud Isssa for Reuters

The people of Gaza understand that crossing the border means never returning. Israeli plans to recolonize Gaza are not a secret; Israeli officials openly discuss them. Their relentless efforts to make Gaza uninhabitable are underway, but the Palestinian people of Gaza remain their greatest obstacle. They are the true resistance, keeping the hope of Palestine alive. Yet, one cannot help but wonder how much longer they can endure this ongoing genocide.

Some countless faces and names embody the resilience and spirit of the Palestinian people in Gaza. Among them is Hajj Khaled Nabhan, who became an icon of perseverance after losing his beloved granddaughter Reem in October 2023. Despite his grief, he continued to care for his elderly mother and support the injured and displaced in Gaza. Tragically, Hajj Nabhan was killed in November.

Khaled Nabhan and his granddaughter Reem are now together

Others, like food blogger-turned-chef Hamada Shaqoura and Mrs. Shahinaz, inspire hope through their efforts amidst the destruction. They remind us of the enduring humanity and strength of Gaza’s people.

As of October 7, 2023, the ongoing Israeli war has claimed the lives of 45,658 individuals and left 108,583 injured. Additionally, 80% of the Gaza Strip is now under Israeli evacuation orders, further compounding the humanitarian crisis.

Tal al-Mallohi is free in Syria’s Homs

Here are the first photos of Syrian blogger Tal al-Mallohi free, healthy and alive in Syria’s Homs.

Tal al-Mallohi in Homs on Monday

Those photos were taken on Monday in her hometown.

Tal al-Mallohi was among the first batch of female detainees freed from the notorious Adra prison on the outskirts of North Damascus on Saturday hours before declaring Bashar Al-Assad and his direct family fled the country to Moscow.

Her relatives in Homs took her back home. 

Tal al-Mallohi was only 19 years old, a young blogger, when she was detained in December 2009 by security personnel at the Syrian embassy in Cairo. Her family had moved to Cairo at the time for her safety.

Tal al-Mallohi became a celebrity and icon in Syria already

People think that al-Mallohi was detained for the first time when she was 19 years old but actually, her ordeal began when she was 16 years.

During this, the Syrian state security interrogated her Syria for something she wrote about Syria on one of her bloggers. Tal did not usually speak about Syria or criticise Bashar Al-Assad. Her blogs in Arabic were all about Palestine and Jerusalem.

After being enlisted on the security watch list she was not able to join high school, thus her family had to move to Cairo so she could study in high school. 

But in December 2009 Tal was detained at the Syrian embassy and was sent back home for outrageous charges involving espionage for the United States.

During the opposition activists revealed had to do how she rejected the sexual advances of a Syrian prominent security officer at the embassy in Cairo.

Tal was the youngest Prisoner of conscience to be arrested in the Arab world. The young blogger was sentenced on February 15, 2011, to five years in prison.

Being the granddaughter of a former state minister for parliamentary affairs Mohamed Diaa al-Mallohi during Hafez Al-Assad’s administration did not help her.

Tal's mother Ahed al-Mallohi wrote a letter that appealed to the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad himself, asking him to intervene and order the release of her daughter but that letter did not help her daughter either.

Back in Egypt, upon learning about her arrest months later, the Egyptian blogging and journalism community demanded her release and protested against her detention, both in person and online.

Tal was to be released in 2014, but she did not, and we all know why. It was during the peak of the war between the rebels and El-Assad. More people were arrested than released during then.

Tal spent an extra ten years, a whole decade in prison.

That photo was taken by a mobile phone secretly and
was smuggled to her family during her time in prison 

Before 8 December 2024, I had the unfortunate feeling that she was not alive, but God’s mercy is above all.

Tal entered Al-Assad's prison when she was only 19 years old and left it at 33 years old. I can’t image what she has been through but I know that nightmare is over.

Now I have a side question as I read more and more about the Adra prison: What kind of a sick mind names a prison that is more of a concertation camp Adra which means in slang Levantine and Egyptian Arabic virgin aka the Virgin Mary.”

#Egypt at #Paris #Paralympics2024: Nadia Fekry ends the Paralympics with a bronze medal and a celebration to remember.

As is often the case, the Paris 2024 Paralympics concluded quietly on Sunday, but our Egyptian Paralympic champions made sure to keep us proud and happy until the very end.

Egyptian para powerlifting champion Nadia Fekry secured a bronze medal in the women’s 86kg category, marking a memorable finale for Team Egypt.

Fekry claimed her medal on her second attempt, successfully lifting 145 kilograms, although she was unable to lift 154 kilograms in her final attempt.

Her celebration after winning the bronze medal was one for the books—an iconic moment that stood out in this year’s games.

زغروطة التتويج

لحظة تتويج البطلة البارالمبية نادية فكري بالميدالية البرونزية في رفع الأثقال البارالمبي️‍♀️#Paris2024 | #Paralympics2024 | #الألعاب_البارالمبية pic.twitter.com/TYjWpqhH7g

— الرياضة مش كورة وبس (@EgyptAllSports) September 8, 2024

It’s hard to recall any other Arab athlete celebrating so passionately in this edition of the Summer Games, be it the Olympics or the Paralympics.

This is the fourth Paralympic medal in Fekry’s career, which began in 1995. She won her first bronze in the 67.5kg weightlifting category at the Sydney 2000 Paralympics.

Paris 2024 Olympics: Egypt got silver and gold medals at the last moment thanks to Sarah Samir and Ahmed El-Gendy "Updated"

Saturday began with a horrific massacre by the Israeli army, which killed nearly 100 civilians in a school that had been turned into a refuge, all under the pretext of targeting a Hamas base. The Israeli army released a list of the victims' names, claiming they were Hamas members.

However, it was later revealed that these individuals were civilians, some of whom worked in Gaza's government bodies, while others had family members affiliated with Hamas and Fatah.

Videos and photos of human remains gathered in plastic bags serve as a stark reminder to millions of Arabs, including Egyptians, of their perceived vulnerability despite their numbers and strength. It is disheartening to note that out of 13 OPEC members, 8 are Muslim-majority countries including 7 Arab countries.

This tragedy has been dubbed "The Dawn Massacre" in Arabic social media or “Al-Tabaeen school attack” in international media.

It is dubbed “Dawn Massacre” in Arabic because many of the victims, mostly men and boys, were preparing for the Dawn prayer early in the morning. The scenes were deeply distressing, and the massacre will haunt us forever.

Yet, as the day drew to a close, a small glimmer of hope emerged for millions of Egyptians.

Despite the backdrop of such dire events, Egypt secured two medals at the Paris 2024 Olympics—one gold and one silver. We got the three medals: bronze, silver and gold. 

Though it might seem trivial to mention Olympic medals in the context of a massacre and ongoing conflict, this post serves as a brief mental escape from the flood of bad news.

It began with Sarah Samir, the Egyptian woman weightlifter who revived the country’s old legacy in the Olympics.

Sarah Samir in her weightlifting attempt at the Paris 2024 Olympics

Samir got a silver medal in the women's 81kg event. 

Gaza War 2023: This is what the real humans of Gaza say/are saying/said "May Mother’s Day Edition"

I wanted to publish this post on the March Egyptian/Arab Mother’s Day, but I could not during then. Now it is the week of May Mother’s Day in the West and so it is time to hear what the real mothers of Gaza say/are saying and said.

I failed to post this on our Egyptian/Arab Mother’s Day because I was overwhelmed by the messages and videos I found for Palestinian mothers from Gaza, and I am still overwhelmed.

The Palestinian mothers in Gaza gave another reason why mothers are revered universally.

Mothers and babies in destroyed houses by Motaz Aaiza in Gaza

On the eve of May Mother’s Day, I saw this video of an old woman displaced along with her injured paralyzed son in North Gaza searching for safety.

Her son, suffering from injuries sustained during the Nabulsi roundabout massacre, required urgent blood transfusions at Kamal Adwan Hospital on Sunday.

However, they were forced to evacuate following leaflets dropped by occupation forces planes, urging everyone to leave Jabalia and surrounding areas. The mother, struggling with her son's partial paralysis and inadequate medical facilities in North Gaza, expresses a desperate wish for peace.

This great mother reminded me of the other mother who kept pulling her two toddler sons for nearly 14 kilometres in the first displacement from the North to Middle Gaza in November. 

Gaza War 2023: This is what the real humans of Gaza are saying “International Women’s Day edition”

Today marks International Women’s Day and the world celebrates it superficially under slogans of “empowerment” and “gender equality” while women suffer all over the world in one way or another.

It is not really a “happy International Women’s Day” in Gaza “nor in Sudan or Congo or in Syria too FYI”

The following are facts the world is ignoring actually why it is a sad International Women's Day.

• At least 9,000 women have been killed, and many more are under the rubble.
• On average, 63 women are killed in Gaza per day - 37 are mothers who leave their families behind.
• In North Gaza where there is ongoing famine, 95% of pregnant and breastfeeding women face severe food poverty.
• Nearly 9 in 10 women find it harder to access food than money.
• 4 in 5 women indicated that at least one of their family members had to skip meals in the past weeks.
• 95% of the mothers in North Gaza are going without food.
• More than 690,000 menstruating women and girls currently have no privacy and limited access to menstrual hygiene supplies.
• There are approximately 50,000 pregnant women in Gaza who are at risk of malnutrition.
• Abortion without any medical care follow-up skyrocketed in Gaza by 300%

The source of this info is the UN agencies.

Once upon a Valentine in Gaza: Love in the time of genocide

This post was originally intended for Valentine’s Day, as a reminder to a world celebrating love that love also exists in Gaza. 

The idea began as a plan to share a glimpse of Gaza before the war, during Valentine’s Day, when gift shops celebrate the occasion despite the city’s conservative nature and the presence of “Khamas”.

The "Love" heart cushion survives after all in a destroyed house in Gaza
by Duaa Tuaima 

I then decided to share the pleas of those lovers who lost their significant others in the war.

Last week, photos and videos have emerged of a young couple who married while living in a displacement, offering a glimmer of hope and changing the course of this post yet again.

Palestinian newlywed Shaima Qazeet and Mahmoud Akhiziq
inside a Deir Al-Balah displacement camp by photographer Majdi Fathi 

Their names are Mahmoud and Shaima.They were engaged and had already conducted a marriage contract ceremony before October.

Watch : Egypt speaks about the 75 years of collective punishment and forced displacement of Palestinians in front of the ICJ on Israeli violations in Palestine

Watch the official advisory opinion of Egypt at the International Court of Justice “ICJ” on Israeli violations in Palestine on Wednesday at the Hague

Egypt’s statement in the hearing is read by Dr Jasmine Moussa, the legal advisor in the office of Egypt’s Foreign Minister.

Along with the oral argument, Egypt submitted two written memoranda to the court concerning Israel's violations since 1967.

After 12 Days of Unanswered Pleas, Hind and Her Rescuers Found Dead and Decayed: This is not a Netflix horror thriller; this is the reality in Gaza "Updated"

For nearly 12 agonizing days, many Palestinians, as well as Arabs, have been haunted by a single question: Where is little Hind Ragab? 

Tragically, the answer has surfaced in the most harrowing of ways. Left to perish alongside members of her family, despite her desperate pleas for help, Hind's final moments were marred by fear and abandonment.

Injured and terrified of the encroaching darkness, she cried out for adults to rescue her from the looming threat of Israeli tanks. However, her calls for aid went unanswered, sealing her fate.

 Even the valiant efforts of paramedic rescuers, who tirelessly sought permission from the Israeli Army to evacuate her to safety, ended in tragedy as they too became victims of the Israeli army’s brutality. 

Hind Ragab, a 6-year-old from Gaza, unwittingly became a symbol of yet another appalling war crime perpetrated by the Israeli army, her final hours a grim testament to the atrocities endured by innocent civilians during a complete world silence.

Her mother let her go with her uncle’s family to seek supposed safety after the Israeli army issued a warning on Monday that it would target West Gaza and that Palestinian residents should head to Deir El-Balah.

But there was no safety on their way.

Hind went with her 44-year-old uncle, Bashar Hamada, and his 43-year-old wife, Anam, along with her four cousins, including 15-year-old Layan, 13-year-old Sana, 12-year-old Mohamed, and 4-year-old Sarah.

They were driving a black Kia Picanto, and imagining all those people in this small car made me feel more stressed.

While they were allegedly heading for safety, the Israeli army’s tank opened fire.

Only Layan and Hind survived but were injured.

To get help, bleeding Layan called her uncle Mohamed Salem Hamada, who lives in Germany’s Frankfurt.

From Germany, her uncle Mohamed called the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) in the West to start a saga that would suit a Netflix horror thriller, but unfortunately, it is not fiction. It is real life in Gaza.

Watch this: Long Live us and Long Live Palestine in video

In the wake of the 2023 Gaza War, a surge of Arab and Palestinian artists took to the internet to express their solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza through their art. This outpouring of creative expression is not a new phenomenon for the Arab world.

Long Live Us and Long Live Palestine "Omar Rammal"

On the contrary, Palestine and the Palestinian resistance have long been a source of inspiration for artworks across various mediums, including painting, literature, poetry, cinema, and music.

This time arts found a bigger and quicker platform online. I wanted to share samples of those artworks. After all, it is important to share with the world what we say because it seems that the world does not see us as humans. 

Please watch this short film by Palestinian director Omar Rammal. It went viral on social media across the Arab world in the past few days.

It is called “Long Live Us, Long Live Palestine.”
And yes, there are whole younger generations of Palestinians that won’t forget nor forgive.