Editor's Review

Gaza Calling: Will the World Pick Up?

A strong voice, calling from the heart of Gaza, commands attention in this collection of eleven pieces of writing by Taqwa Al-Wawi. Searing with intelligence and passion, these poems and articles demonstrate the author’s high respect for language and clear speech. Lines ring with meaning and urgency, but on the other side of the call, no one answers. A frustrated cry from the gifted in Gaza, whose perfect sentences put global leadership to shame.

One of the articles that appeals most to me in this collection is “A Voice That Defied Silence: The Legacy of Dr. Refaat Al-Areer,” which was first published in The Markaz Review, June 4, 2025. This is followed by a beautiful poetic response to Dr. Refaat Al-Areer’s poem, “If I Must Die,” which soared around the world after Israeli occupation forces killed Dr. Al-Areer in a targeted airstrike. He might have had a pen or marker in his pocket at the time.

Between the article and the poem, Taqwa writes a list of the attributes from Dr. Al-Areer’s legacy that she has followed in shaping her voice, and since these qualities are apparent in all her writings, she must be commended for succeeding at the high standard this beloved professor desired of his students.

If I must write, let it be with truth.

If I must feel, let it be with fire.

If I must live, let it be for those whose voices were stolen.

And if I must die, let my words remain alive in the memory of time

Not only has Taqwa survived realities that should not even exist in the imagination, she has endured the loss of many dear friends. Four of her closest friends were killed in October, 2023, the first month of Israel’s genocidal campaign against Gaza. Another was killed in May, 2025. They were all close in age to Taqwa: 18-years-old, 19-years-old, 21-years-old.

They were not just friends; they were chapters of my life. And their names deserve to be read—forever.

A place where Taqwa’s imagination loves to dwell in her writings is the university she often visited as a child because her father was a professor there. Throughout her youth, she developed many dreams of studying at the Islamic University of Gaza. Her writings describe beautiful memories of the campus and her anticipation to begin her first year as an English Literature student. Shortly after, the university was bombed and destroyed by occupation forces, their campaigns of scholasticide and epistemicide going hand-in-hand with their campaigns of ecocide and genocide. Despite these violent erasures of life, Taqwa describes her efforts to continue her studies and develop a strong literary voice.

I still dream of returning to the campus I love, where memories live, trusting that Allah will compensate us in a way that makes us forget the pain we’ve endured.

From her words, I can picture it, too. Imagine a beautiful building, shimmering in the sunlight of Gaza, its plazas full of students burning with the desire to fulfill their gifts and dreams. Somewhere inside, maybe in a library, maybe in her own office, Taqwa sits and writes and writes and writes to her hearts content because Gaza called, she called, and quite unexpectedly, the world picked up.

Get Your Copy

Zines are available by donation, with all profits going directly to the authors.

Want to receive a copy of this amazing new zine?

• Click the button below to visit Taqwa’s personal fundraiser and make your donation.

• Send your proof of donation to coastallinespress@gmail.com to receive a digital or print copy. For print copies, include your full name and address in the email.

• For more information about digital, print and translated copies visit Get Your Copy.

If you’re a bookseller, bookstore or printing press and want to support this fundraiser by printing and distributing zines, contact the writers directly or email coastallinespress@gmail.com for PDF copies or more information. Proof of donation required. The QR code on each zine serves as the point of sale, and all profits go to the authors.