Issue 5 - Hunger for Liberation, Abundance of Will.
Good morning and welcome to the fifth EPYU issue.
This newsletter aims to amplify truth, challenge erasure, and center Palestinian voices. Here's what they don't want you to see this week:
Quick News Roundup
Starvation in Gaza is at catastrophic levels. Doctors are pleading—not for miracles—but for food. The UN has warned that up to 14,000 babies could die within the next few hours. Since the aid blockade began on March 2, 57 children have reportedly died from malnutrition, according to the Ministry of Health. Nearly 71,000 children under five are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition over the coming year.
In response, the international community has offered less than symbolic gestures. France and Canada have merely warned of possible sanctions, stating, “We will not stand by while the Netanyahu government pursues these egregious actions.” Meanwhile, the UK has paused only new free trade talks with Israel.
Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to allow limited aid into Gaza after pressure from allies alarmed by the flood of starvation images 5 days ago. The first truck of 90 scheduled ones arrived in central Gaza last night, carrying flour and medication.
Mohammed Asad/AP King Abdullah of Jordan pledged to treat 2,000 injured Gazan children. But what was presented as a humanitarian gesture unraveled when many of these children were returned to a war zone despite their injuries. Human rights groups warn that this could constitute a violation of international law.
The Israeli assault on Gaza has led to the destruction of 92% of homes since October 2023.
Fadel Senna/AFP/Getty Images
Morning Read
Stories and statements from the ground
بالنسبة الي خلص، بطل يهمني الموت
ولا بفرق معي مين بيسمعنا ولا مين بيتجاهلنا
مين واقف معنا ومين باعنا كل شي فيا مات
الإحساس، الشعور، ما ضل فيا حيل أزعل ولا أفرح
كأني عايش ومش عايش، وأنا مش جوا، خلصت
بس بحاول استمتع في الأيام المعدوده اللي ضايله النا
.هاد مش شعوري انا بس هاد شعور كل شخص عايش في غزهAs for me, I’m done. I no longer care about death.
It doesn’t matter to me who hears us or who ignores us,
who stands with us and who sold us out — everything inside me has died:
the feelings, the emotions. I no longer have the strength to be sad or happy.
It’s like I’m living but not really alive, and I’m not okay inside. I’m finished.
I’m just trying to enjoy the few remaining days we have.
This isn’t just how I feel — this is how every person
living in Gaza feels.
.مهما اكتب مش حافدر اوصف لك شو احساسنا شو بيصير
.موت بطىء محدش فاهم شو بيصير من وين بدهم يدخلو مساعدات ومن وين بيهجرو بالناس
.يا رب نستشهد ونرتاحNo matter what I write, I won’t be able to describe to you what we’re feeling or what’s happening.
A slow death — no one understands what’s going on, where aid is supposed to enter from, or where they’re displacing people to.
Oh Lord, let us be martyred and finally find peaceFamily member in Gaza.
In Culture & Heritage
At Cannes, Palestinian filmmakers aren’t here for glamour, they’re here to assert existence and resilience amid genocide. The festival opened to mounting global condemnation of the war. Many industry figures, including Ralph Fiennes and Richard Gere, signed an open letter criticizing the silence around Israel’s actions. They also mourned photojournalist Fatma Hassona, killed in an Israeli airstrike. Her powerful images of Gaza’s suffering and spirit are now featured in exhibitions and a documentary at Cannes.
The Palestine Pavilion returned for the first time in years, showcasing three films:
Once Upon a Time in Gaza — A dark drama-comedy by Gaza-born twin brothers Arab and Tarzan Nasser, set in 2007 during the early days of the blockade. It eerily mirrors today’s devastation and captures a homeland the filmmakers say no longer exists.
Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk — A documentary by Sepideh Farsi honoring Fatma Hassona’s legacy and resistance through photography, screened to powerful effect amid growing international outrage.
I’m Glad You’re Dead Now — A short film by Tawfeek Barhom, It follows two brothers returning to the island of their childhood, where buried secrets and long-held tensions force them to confront a dark, shared past.
Education Corner
This week, EPYU’s Instagram covered: An introduction to Operation Gideon’s Chariots, Israel’s latest genocidal military strategy; six examples of Israel’s many racist and discriminatory laws; and a powerful visual testimony from the Nakba.
Today’s Deep Dive
What does it mean to erase a people? Not only their lives, but their language, their landmarks, their past. Across wars and occupations, cultural heritage becomes the first silent casualty, temples turned to dust, libraries bombed, memory made rubble.
In this essay, archaeologist Lennard Armstrong explores how cultural genocide operates, not only to destroy, but to unmake identity itself.
Read today’s deep dive on our Substack blog here.
Recommendations
Attend: Södertörn University Solidarity Association is hosting a Watermelon Party with guest speakers Soheyla Abdelaziz and Nicholas Smith on May 27
Watch: Watermelon+ is officially live! Describing itself as "a streaming platform amplifying bold voices from marginalized and underrepresented communities." The platform is owned by Alana Hadid, Badie and Hamza Ali and features films and documentaries such as The Encampments and Eyes of Gaza.
Observe: Al Jazeera English’s new documentary: How Israel is Weaponising Water in Gaza.
Until Liberation,
Nightlock, EPYU.