Anjali Sharma
GG News Bureau
NEW YORK , 9th Dec. According to news reports on Friday Dr. Refaat Alareer, distinguished Palestinian poet, writer, activist, professor died in an Israeli airstrike.
His untimely death leaves a void in both literary and advocacy circles.
The strike also claimed the lives of his brother, sister, and four of her children, left the remaining members of 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.
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.
Dr. Alareer 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.
He expressed his vehement opposition to the ongoing atrocities committed against his people by Israeli forces, and condemned successive U.S. administrations enabled them.
Dr. Alareer utilized his influential Twitter account, “Refaat in Gaza,” to make his voice heard.
His demise disclosed has elicited waves of grief and indignation from a wide spectrum of mourners—friends, colleagues, former students, and followers alike.
He was 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 inspired 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.
He obtained a Ph.D. in English Literature from Universiti Putra Malaysia.
Dr. Refaat Alareer serves as a poignant reminder of the human toll in conflict-ridden regions, left a void in the literary and activist communities that may prove challenging to fill.
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