Today's Read Contributor On June 13, 2025, Palestinian journalist Pliesta Alaqad released her compelling memoir The Eyes of Gaza: A Diary of Resilience. In this powerful and harrowing account, Alaqad takes readers through her experiences during the 2023 Gaza conflict, offering an intimate and emotional look at the realities of living in a region plagued by war, violence, and the constant threat of displacement.
Overview of The Eyes of Gaza: A Diary of Resilience
The Eyes of Gaza is not just a recount of the atrocities witnessed by Alaqad during the Gaza conflict, but it also serves as a poignant exploration of resilience in the face of unimaginable hardship. Alaqad, a journalist working for an international news agency, had to navigate the dangers of war zones while simultaneously documenting the human cost of the violence.
In her memoir, Alaqad recounts the day-to-day horrors of living in Gaza during the Israeli military’s operation in 2023. She shares deeply personal stories, including her struggles with fear, uncertainty, and the emotional toll of seeing her friends and family suffer. Through her eyes, readers see the true cost of war, not just in terms of physical destruction, but also in the emotional and psychological trauma that lingers long after the fighting stops.
Alqaad’s narrative is filled with vivid descriptions of bombed-out buildings, the constant sound of airstrikes, and the daily life of civilians trying to survive amidst the rubble. Through her powerful storytelling, she humanizes the people caught in the conflict, giving a voice to those whose stories are often ignored in mainstream media.
Themes of Resilience and Resistance
One of the central themes of Alaqad’s memoir is resilience. Despite the constant danger and the overwhelming challenges of living in a war zone, Alaqad never loses her belief in the power of storytelling. Throughout the memoir, she discusses how writing and documenting the events around her became not only a way to survive but a means of resistance against the oppressive forces trying to silence the people of Gaza.
Alqaad often emphasizes how crucial it is for journalists to bear witness to suffering, even when their own lives are at risk. “I wrote because I couldn’t stand by and do nothing,” she explains. “Every story I told, every image I captured, was a small act of defiance in the face of overwhelming violence.”
Alqaad’s journalistic background plays an important role in the memoir. She highlights the ethical dilemmas faced by journalists working in war zones, from deciding which stories to cover to the constant pressure of maintaining objectivity while witnessing firsthand the pain and destruction caused by the conflict.
Personal Struggles and the Psychological Toll of War Journalism
While much of The Eyes of Gaza focuses on the external conflict, Alaqad also delves into the psychological toll of being a journalist in such dangerous environments. The memoir is a candid exploration of the mental health challenges faced by journalists, including the trauma of witnessing horrific events and the difficulty of returning to a semblance of normalcy once they leave the war zone.
Alaqad reflects on the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) she developed after her experiences in Gaza, describing sleepless nights, anxiety, and the haunting memories of the conflict. She speaks openly about how she struggled to process the trauma and how it impacted her relationships with loved ones.
“The hardest part was not witnessing the violence—it was living with it afterward,” she writes. “The images of destruction, of people I knew being injured or killed, stayed with me. It wasn’t just the war that scarred me, but the constant need to push it aside to keep working.”
Alaqad’s memoir does not shy away from these emotional realities, offering readers a glimpse into the darker side of journalism, and shedding light on the mental health struggles that are often overlooked in the profession.
Impact and Reception
Since its release, The Eyes of Gaza has garnered critical acclaim for its emotional honesty and insight into the life of a war correspondent. Critics have praised Alaqad for her bravery, both in the field and in writing such an intimate account of her experiences. The memoir has been hailed as a vital contribution to the growing body of work that highlights the human impact of war, offering a personal and firsthand perspective that many readers may not otherwise encounter.
Alqaad’s memoir is also being used in journalism schools as an example of the ethical complexities and emotional challenges faced by reporters working in conflict zones. The book has been adopted by several universities as part of courses focused on war journalism and the importance of ethical reporting.
Conclusion
The Eyes of Gaza: A Diary of Resilience is a moving and powerful memoir that captures the resilience of the Palestinian people through the eyes of one of their most dedicated journalists. Pliesta Alaqad’s firsthand account is a valuable resource for anyone seeking to understand the human side of the Gaza conflict and the toll it takes on those who live through it.
Alaqad’s work as a journalist and her dedication to telling the stories of those affected by war will undoubtedly leave a lasting impact on the field of war journalism and on the readers who are fortunate enough to witness her powerful narrative.
