GHANAYEM, Reem (ed.)
Book of Wills

“To write a will under siege is not surrender – it’s defiance. It says: I existed. I felt. I belonged. I am not yours to erase.”
—Reem Ghanayem

In Book of Wills, eighteen Gazan writers share their last will and testament. A profound exploration of the written word as an act of resistance, the collection includes pieces by several writers who have since been killed, including the poem “If I Must Die” by Rifaat Al-Ara’ir.

Book of Wills is a devastating account of the human cost of war, and bears witness to the lives and memories of the Gazan people.

With contributions by Saleem al-Naffar, Saeed Abd al-Aziz Abu Ghaza, Amal Abu Assi al-Yazfi, Ali Abu Yassin, Yousri Alghoul, Hussein Harzallah, Najwa Ghanem, Layan Osama Abu al-Qumsan, Husam Maarouf, Ni‘mah Hassan, Mosab Abu Toha, Rifaat Al-Ara‘ir, Mayar al-Jazzar, Saeed Muhammad al-Kahlout, Yousef el-Qedra, Nasser Rabah, Nour al-Din Hajjaj, Hanaa Ahmad.

Cover artwork by Hazem Harb.

Published by Akoya Publishing, 2026
Anthologies / Poetry / Essays / Politics