In a city often marked by wars and ambiguity, the bookstores of Gaza act as peaceful havens of knowledge, bringing hope to generations determined to preserve culture and education despite their challenges.

In the winter of 2016, my cousin gifted me a novel by Palestinian author Mourid Barghouti, “I saw Ramallah,” and mentioned that she had read it twice to gain a deeper understanding of its content. At that time, I had only been reading for a year, mainly exploring stories and books on literature related to love and tourism, and I had little knowledge of the bookstores in Gaza City.

I loved the novel, as it provided me with valuable insights about Palestine, particularly Ramallah, and fostered a stronger sense of belonging to my homeland. This was my first time reading literature about Palestine, especially by a distant Palestinian author expressing his emotions about his homeland, which made me feel as though I had been reborn.

As time progressed, my curiosity regarding Palestinian authors and their writings on Palestine and the Palestinian cause deepened. Consequently, I began exploring bookstores in Gaza City to buy books for myself. Little did I realize that my visits to these bookstores would become a passion.

The first bookstore I visited was Samir Mansour, situated in the Tal Al-Hawa neighborhood of Gaza City. This expansive store boasts numerous sections and aisles, alongside a basement that contains thousands of books in various languages. Each visit to the bookstore captivated me; the sheer sight of the books was so enchanting that I often found myself hesitant to take pictures, fearing that I might not do justice to their beauty.

Several bookstores were located nearby, including Afaq and Iqraa, which I used to visit frequently before becoming a college student. Both places were exceptional, offering a wealth of cultural, literary, and scientific books.

In 2021, during my first year at university, there was an 11-day escalation of violence in Gaza City, particularly in the Tal Al-Hawa neighborhood. During this period, the destruction wrought by Israel’s occupation harshly impacted the streets, including the one where these bookstores were.

Following the escalation, I immediately went to the street and discovered that Iqraa had been completely destroyed. The building housing the retail outlet had been bombed. Despite the rubble, I managed to locate an open branch of Afaq. I remember buying three books before returning home. A year later, the building was rebuilt and a new bookstore, named New Iqraa, was opened.

When I was a sophomore in college, I began attending courses at Islamic University. It was winter, and I thoroughly enjoyed walking from the university to my home, as the streets of Tal Al-Hawa are exceptionally wonderful.

One day, while walking along a long wide street opposite Islamic University, I came across a bookstore on the other side. This was the Al-Shoroq Cultural Bookstore. I entered the building and ascended to the upper floors, where I was immediately struck by its awesome collection. It contained numerous sections, including literature, psychology, history and philosophy, as well as novels. To my surprise, as I went further inside, I discovered additional shelves filled with hundreds of books.

In the same year, while browsing the internet, I came across an advertisement for a newly opened bookstore called Coffee-Book, located on Jalaa Street in Gaza City. The aesthetic charm of this establishment immediately captivated me, prompting me to visit with my mother. Upon our arrival, we were warmly welcomed with cups of hot chocolate. I then explored the shelves and bought four books, leaving the visit with a deep sense of happiness.

Eight years after reading Mourid Barghouti’s novel, I came to a deep realization: I had developed a lasting connection to the sight of bookshelves, the exploration of the aisles, the act of selecting and reading book titles, and, above all, the unique smell of books. I understood how fortunate I was to have so many bookstores available to me in Gaza City. When life feels dull, I escape to the bookstore, a place I see as my second world, a place to express my personality. Reading allows me to sail, explore, travel through time, and encounter exciting characters that make me forget the real world.

In May 2023, my best friend and I decided to visit Samir Mansour together to explore its collection of books. Although I often went there by myself, this time we had the chance to experience it together. As we wandered through the various sections, perusing numerous titles, my friend took photos of me among the shelves. Afterwards, we selected several books, each choosing a copy to read so we could later discuss our thoughts on them.

Throughout the years, I continuously read and collected books including novels and stories, gradually expanding my personal library. Each day, a new book was added to it, eventually filling my room with books that held not only knowledge, but also memories. Every book I acquired was marked with the date of purchase and a brief note of remembrance, acting as a reminder of the significance of each addition.

I took great pride in my unique library, which included a wide range of subjects, including Palestine, literature, history, philosophy, physics, astronomy, ancient civilizations, psychology, love, and tourism. This collection became not only a collection of knowledge, but also a reflection of my intellectual journey and personal interests and experiences.

On the second day of the war in the Gaza Strip in October 2023, Samir Mansour sustained damage due to Israeli airstrikes targeting a nearby building. During the same week, the Israeli forces launched extensive bombardments across the area, effectively creating a “ring of fire.” As a result, all the bookstores I had frequented were reduced to rubble.

In November 2023, the building where my family and I lived was bombed in Tal Al-Hawa neighborhood. The first thing that caused me to break down in tears was the loss of my library. The precious memories I had cultivated over the years, stored within its books, were reduced to ashes. This was the most painful consequence of this brutal war, marking the greatest sorrow I have endured over the past year.