A Match Made in Heaven

"I see the lights of the drones in the sky, but my focus is on the stars and the moon above them."

On June 3rd, Heba Ali and Mohammed Al-Bardawili celebrated their marriage with family in friends. The ceremony took place in Nuseirat, Central Gaza, with both bride and groom displaced from their homes due to the genocide.

Not long before this moment, Mohammed and Heba were gazing at the stars above Gaza, separately wondering what the future might hold. Now they face an uncertain journey together, their love casting joy on an otherwise bleak and nightmarish reality. Reading their words side-by-side, a delicate love story falls into place.

The brightest future awaits Heba and Mohammed, but they cannot write this next chapter alone. Their love needs shelter, dignity, and compassion. Consider ordering their zines and supporting their new life together as it unfolds beneath Gaza’s stars.

“I’m a girl, just like many others… Once, I dreamed of a life that touched the stars, a world full of light, where the sky never ends. But I was born in the shadow of walls that never stop whispering. A person with dreams that stretch far beyond this city, but I have nothing grand to offer, just fragments of myself I couldn’t bear to lose. These words were born from the chaos of broken days, from nights when silence feels louder than bombs. And maybe, somewhere, in some forgotten corner, they’ll find someone who needed them too.”—An excerpt from Beneath Gaza’s Stars, by Heba Ali. Illustrated by Veronica Petrie.

“We have entered day 264. I am looking up at the sky from our tent. What a beautiful night. I see the lights of the drones in the sky, but my focus is on the stars and the moon above them. Why don’t they look up at the stars instead of the ground? Why can’t we, humans, learn from the vast greatness of this universe with its galaxies, stars, worlds, and age? What a loss. Humans wear themselves out with pointless fake pride and stubbornness, causing them to harm each other instead of enjoying this short life.

What will I do if I survive and the war ends? I can’t imagine how I’ll live after everything I’ve witnessed. Do I just continue living as if nothing happened? How will I deal with all these painful memories?”—An excerpt from Midnight Thoughts in Gaza, by Mohammed Al-Bardawili. Illustrated by Casper.

A personal update from Heba and Mohammed.

A Home Among The Stars

If I must leave this world behind, look for me where the stars unwind. When night descends and silence calls, and all the noise of day just falls. In one of those stars, you’ll find me there, living the life I couldn’t bear.

In that distant glow, I’ll be as I dreamt – a version of me, where joy is exempt.

And when you gaze up, with hearts that roam, you’ll be grateful for knowing I’ve found my home.—An excerpt from Beneath Gaza’s Stars.