In Memoriam. We pay tribute to four young Gazans, all of whom were part of the We Are Not Numbers community.
Huda Al-Sosi
The WANN Family
October 31, 2023
We Are Not Numbers is sad to announce that we have lost another member of our family. Huda Al-Sosi was killed in an Israeli air strike on Oct. 23 which also took the lives of relatives. The status of her two children is unconfirmed.
May Huda and her deceased family members rest in peace.
Huda was a member of the newest, 18th cohort of We Are Not Numbers. She was an ambitious journalist who was eager to write about the people and conditions of Palestine.
Although she had not yet published at our website, she published two bylined pieces in The Electronic Intifada. Braving Israel’s bombs to hug my parents was written after an Israeli bombing of May 2022 and described her family’s insistance on “resuming our lives” despite the destruction. Gaza’s queen of quilling, published in August 2022, profiled the artist Eman Al-Tayeb, whose “daily practice is impeded by the Israeli occupation and blockade.” Huda reported:
Al-Tayeb considers herself fortunate to be able to pursue art. She believes it allows her to persist in the hardships of daily life in Gaza.
“There is always hope,” she said.
According to Huda’s friends, when she was informed that she had been accepted into WANN, it was the happiest day of her life; she was “over the moon.” She attended all the training sessions before the schedule was interrupted by the Israeli aggression. She loved writing, and she also loved art and reading.
We are adding tributes to Huda as they are able to come in, given the challenging communication circumstances.
Ahmed Dremly
Huda, an aspiring writer, dreamt of being a voice for Palestinians like Ali Abunimah.
Ahmad Abo Rizik
Huda Al-Sosi was a beacon of strength and kindness. I met her during training sessions with We Are Not Numbers. She was full of power and energy and was fueled with passion and the love of Palestine. She longed to reveal to the world the stories and struggles of those living in the shadow of the Israeli occupation, painting a vivid picture of life in this troubled region.
In the short two months that I had the privilege of knowing Huda, I quickly realized that she was a force of nature. Her strength and determination were matched only by her kindness and willingness to help those around her. She had a way of lighting up any room with her infectious energy and her radiant smile.
Huda was not just a teammate, she was a source of inspiration. Her dedication to our common cause was unwavering. Her boundless compassion and selflessness left a lasting impact on everyone fortunate enough to cross her path.
Huda’s words held the power to bridge cultures, to create understanding, and to advocate for her homeland. In a heartbreaking twist of fate, Huda’s dreams were shattered by the relentless violence that plagued Gaza. An Israeli airstrike, intended for reasons unknown, took her and seven members of her family from this world.
The news of her tragic and untimely death struck our hearts with a profound sense of grief. The loss of such a beautiful soul is a stark reminder of the fragility of life, and it’s a pain that we all share.
Huda’s absence leaves a void that cannot be filled, but her memory and the impact she made on all of us will live on. We, her friends on the We Are Not Numbers team, are deeply moved by her spirit and her unfulfilled dreams, and we have vowed to keep her legacy alive. We pledge to continue writing, to carry on her mission of sharing the untold stories of Gaza’s resilient people.
Huda Al-Sosi will not become just another number in the relentless cycle of war; she will forever be remembered as the voice that spoke for her people, an enduring testament to the human spirit in the face of adversity.
Zaina Al Qudwa
From day one of writing training, everyone recognized Huda’s passion and dedication to writing. She never arrived late for any training session and was always the first to engage in any activity. As a mother, she would leave her children at a nearby daycare to be able to attend all sessions. During a class discussion, she mentioned having a story that she believed deserved worldwide publication, but she chose not to disclose its content.
Just a few days after the war began, the members of Cohort 18 of We Are Not Numbers decided to create a video to showcase how life in Gaza is under Israeli aggression. Each participant was required to write and record a short message. Huda wanted the world to understand that “The situation here in Gaza during this war is so difficult and indescribably bad. We prepared our bags with necessary things in case we need them to rush quickly from our homes due to nearby bombardments or Israeli evacuation messages. We didn’t sleep well last night, and I consider myself the luckiest one in the world to have just one hour sleeping this morning. The heavy Israel bombardments is everywhere, attacking residential buildings without any prior warning!”
Unfortunately, no one ever will see and hear Huda sharing her message. Her beautiful dreams came to end when an Israeli missile claimed her life. This is merely a glimpse of her larger story, which was filled with ambitious dreams, a promising future, and a loving family that the occupation ultimately destroyed.
Refaat Alareer
Mohammed Zaher Hamo
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