Renowned public figure , Gaza professor and writer killed in airstrike

Weeks after he said he and his family had “nowhere else to go”

Palestinian poet and writer Rifaat Al-Arir was killed in Gaza, his friends and colleagues said

When Israeli warplanes bombed northern Gaza, the IDF ordered civilians to immediately leave their homes and head south.

Civilians like Al-Arir face an impossible situation. Stay at home and risk being killed, or try to escape without protection. At the time, the 44-year-old writer and academic said he and his family had no choice but to stay in the north because they had “nowhere else to go”.
A few weeks later, on December 7, Al-Arir was killed in an attack in Shujaiya, northern Gaza. His friend and colleague Jihad Abu Salim lived with his brother, sister, and four children who were also killed, according to Abu Salim, a 35-year-old writer who lives in Washington, D.C.
In 2014, Al-Arir edited Gaza Writes Again, a collection of short stories by young writers documenting their lives under Israeli siege. He was also the co-editor of Unsilent Gaza, a collection of essays, photographs and poetry published in 2015 that documents the pain, loss and faith of Palestinians under Israeli siege. He also contributed to Light in Gaza: Writings Born from Fire, an anthology published in 2022. Originally from Gaza, he studied at University College London and the School of Oriental and African Studies, London.
He co-founded We Are Not Numbers, a non-profit organization that aims to amplify the voices of Palestinian youth living in Gaza and refugee camps.
The Israeli army says it is trying to minimize civilian casualties and accuses Hamas of inserting itself into civilian infrastructure. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that “there is no effective protection for civilians” in Gaza.

Human rights groups say Israeli attacks on civilians constitute war crimes, as do their forced evictions.

During his interview with Al-Arir called on the international community to see the “humanity” in the Palestinian people, adding: “To feel their suffering.” "Put yourself in their shoes."

He had written a poem in which he predicted his possible death, entitled "If I Die."

After Al-Areer's death, people in New York and London held memorial events to honor his memory.

Although Palestinians mourn Al-Arir's death, some of his comments sparked resentment. In an interview with the BBC, he described the October 7 attack as a “preemptive strike carried out by the Palestinian resistance” that was “legitimate and moral.”

Al-Areer began teaching literature, creative writing, poetry, translation, and Shakespeare at the Islamic University of Gaza in 2007. He describes himself as a writer and teacher.

His death on Thursday prompted tributes from friends, colleagues and students around the world.

Ra Page, 51, is editor and founder of Comma Press, in Manchester, England. He worked with Al-Areer on various literary projects and workshops over the years. They met in person in Gaza City in August 2022.

“My fondest memory is riding in his cute little car, which is definitely the smallest, unique car, and probably the oldest in Gaza, driving around with him listening to audiobooks and podcasts. He loves audio literature,” Page told on Friday.

"To describe it; he was generous above all else. Kind, gentle, patient, kind. He had a wicked sense of humour," he added.

“He always advocates for others, before himself. “He is a great writer, but his mission is to be a platform and support other writers.”

Abu Salim, a writer and friend based in Washington, D.C., said Al-Arir is “a prominent figure in Palestinian society.”

“Refaat’s life is not without challenges,” . “Despite the personal tragedy and harsh realities of life in Gaza, he remained steadfast, using his pen and his voice to defend himself and to fight back.”

His teachings were not just about imparting knowledge; Abu Salim added: “It is about empowerment, and using language as a weapon against oppression.”

Laila Al-Haddad, a journalist and writer from Gaza who lives in Maryland, said that Al-Arir “raised an entire generation of Palestinian writers in Gaza.”

Al-Haddad (45 years old) added that he taught them “how to use the English language, the language of the countries responsible and complicit in looting, genocide and siege, to tell their own stories.”

Alareer had also written a poem anticipating that he might be killed, which began:

If I must die,
you must live
to tell my story
to sell my things
to buy a piece of cloth
and some strings,
(make it white with a long tail).