I Am Not a Number
A collection of seven articles, written by Nour Abo Aisha and published in leading media outlets throughout 2025. The titles of these writings correspond to the twists and turns of Apartheid Israel’s genocidal tyranny in Gaza, which Nour and her family endured.
Editions: English, Bahasa Indonesia.
Letter to the Reader
Dear Readers,
My name is Nour Abo Aisha. I am a writer and a survivor of multiple massacres since the beginning of the war on Gaza. I know, intimately, the cost of survival. I’ve tried to shape the pain of staying alive into letters and articles, because I believe writing holds a kind of magic—a way to heal the human spirit. But how does one get rid of the sorrow of their time and place? For over two and a half years, I’ve been trying to survive. When will I finally rest, breathe, and simply live?
In these writings, I carry my own voice and the voices of others in Gaza. In these images, I capture my eyes, and the eyes of others in Gaza. I tell my story, because words endure, even as we fade. Each piece I write feels like the labor of birthing a lived experience, wrenching my soul. And yet, I write. I do not surrender. Perhaps these words will touch your heart. Still, I ask myself again and again: how did I live through all of this?
Please, don’t forget me. I am searching for a sliver of hope to live by. I write, I sing, I hum—while missiles roar above my head. I am not a number. I dream of living, like you do. I dream of having a family on a land of peace.
Warm regards,
Nour
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About the Author
Nour Abo Aisha is a writer, storyteller, and journalist from Gaza, driven by a passion for creative thinking and psychological insight. As a survivor of the October 7 war, she broadcasts her lived experience into powerful narratives that center the human condition and amplify Palestinian voices.
About the Illustrator
Veronica Petrie is a designer and illustrator from Scotland. She has illustrated several children’s books and her work has been exhibited across Europe. Her illustrations featured in a UK natural parenting magazine for two decades, before she left to illustrate for Zines from Gaza in 2025. Veronica believes strongly that art and artists have an important part to play in resisting the status quo. Her current illustration project deals with questions of memory, identity, and what survives when culture is suppressed.
Follow her on Instagram.
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