In a tragic turn of events, Dr. Refaat Alareer, a distinguished Palestinian poet, writer, literature professor, and advocate, lost his life in a targeted Israeli airstrike. The strike, which occurred today, also claimed the lives of his brother, sister, and four of her children, leaving a somber aftermath for the surviving members of the Alareer family—his wife, Nusayba, and their children.

Dr. Alareer’s impactful presence extended beyond the confines of his family, as he held the esteemed position of a literature and creative writing professor at the Islamic University of Gaza since 2007. Widely respected, he co-edited “Gaza Unsilenced” in 2015 and served as the editor for “Gaza Writes Back: Short Stories from Young Writers in Gaza, Palestine” in 2014. Moreover, he played a pivotal role as a founding member of We Are Not Numbers, a nonprofit organization established in the aftermath of the 2014 Israeli attack on Gaza. The organization’s mission was to nurture a new generation of Palestinian writers and thinkers who could contribute to transformative change for the Palestinian cause.

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Expressing his vehement opposition to the ongoing atrocities committed against his people by Israeli forces, as well as condemning successive U.S. administrations enabling them, Dr. Alareer utilized his influential Twitter account, “Refaat in Gaza,” to make his voice heard. His demise, disclosed earlier today, has elicited waves of grief and indignation from a wide spectrum of mourners—friends, colleagues, former students, and followers alike.

Born in Shuja’iyya in Gaza City in 1979, Dr. Alareer’s formative years were marked by the pervasive impact of the Israeli occupation, shaping his worldview and inspiring his dedication to the Palestinian cause. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from the Islamic University of Gaza in 2001, followed by a Master of Arts from University College London in 2007. Furthering his academic pursuits, he obtained a Ph.D. in English Literature from Universiti Putra Malaysia.

The untimely demise of Dr. Refaat Alareer serves as a poignant reminder of the human toll in conflict-ridden regions, leaving a void in the literary and activist communities that may prove challenging to fill.