[News] Remembering Wafa Aludaini - Palestine Chronicle’s Star Contributor Killed in Gaza, but Her Legacy Lives On

[Anti-Imperialist News]

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Remembering Wafa Aludaini - Palestine Chronicle’s Star Contributor Killed
in Gaza, but Her Legacy Lives OnSeptember 30, 2024
------------------------------
Palestinian journalist Wafa Aludaini reporting from Gaza. (Photo: via
social media)

*By Romana Rubeo <https://www.palestinechronicle.com/writers/romana-rubeo>*


Tragically, at dawn on Monday, those same children, two of her beloved,
were killed alongside Wafa and her husband in an Israeli airstrike on Deir
Al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip.

On July 29, 2018, I received an email from a young journalist from Gaza,
Wafa Aludaini, with the subject line: “I was looking at the sniper when he
shot me – The story of an injured mother during the Great March of Return.”

It was the first time Wafa had reached out to me, and I was immediately
struck by the power of her story, which she wanted to publish in the
Palestine Chronicle.

We had never spoken before, she hadn’t attended our editorial meetings, and
she wasn’t yet familiar with our idea of journalism.

Yet, her story was exactly what we were seeking – a direct and raw
narrative from the heart of Palestine, told in the voice of its people,
untainted by stereotypes or victimization.

Wafa’s story captured the essence of why we do what we do: to amplify
Palestinian voices, allowing them to narrate their experiences in their own
words.

Of course, we published the story, and soon after, Wafa and I developed a
deep connection.

As I got to know her, I discovered that Wafa was not just a storyteller –
she was the story.

“I am a journalist,” she told us in an interview, “but I am also a
Palestinian refugee.”

Our bond grew over time, built on mutual respect, and shared insights into
both professional and personal lives: our work, her children, and her
weekly trips to the ‘frontline’ of the Great March of Return.

Every Friday, wearing her press vest – a symbol of protection almost
everywhere in the world, but not in Gaza – she would head to the fence that
separates Gaza from Israel. There, she found the stories of her people.

Wafa’s perspective as a woman was significant. Not only was she an
empowered journalist, but she also empowered other women by giving them a
platform to share their voices.

She was the founder of the October 16th group and dedicated her time to
mentoring young media professionals in Gaza, especially emphasizing the
importance of truth in reporting.

I had the privilege of working with her through the Palestine Chronicle,
where we conducted seminars for young women in Gaza. These women, inspired
by Wafa, were determined to tell their own stories, not let others tell
them for them.

We Are the Children of Gaza: The Poet, the Fashionista and the Footballer
<https://www.palestinechronicle.com/we-are-the-children-of-gaza-the-poet-the-fashionista-and-the-footballer/>

One moment in particular stays with me. During the war in 2021, I invited
Wafa to participate in an episode of an Italian podcast.

Amid the ongoing Israeli airstrikes, Wafa spoke live from Gaza. The roar of
Israeli fighter jets was relentless, and though the audience couldn’t see
it, her children were with her.

She spoke calmly and firmly, her voice unwavering, exposing the reality of
life under bombardment. Between pauses, she would turn to her children and
quietly reassure them, saying, “Shhh, it’s just fireworks.”

Tragically, at dawn on Monday, September 30, those same children, two of
Wafa’s beloved, were killed alongside her and her husband in an Israeli
airstrike on Deir Al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip.

Wafa was more than a journalist; she was a symbol of resilience. As a
woman, a mother, a journalist, and a voice for the Palestinian people, she
embodied their struggle for justice and dignity.

At the Palestine Chronicle, we are forever grateful for the opportunity to
work with someone as courageous and inspiring as Wafa.

We will continue to honor Wafa’s memory by upholding her commitment to
truth and will strive to carry forward her legacy of empowering voices that
deserve to be heard.

*(The Palestine Chronicle)*


*– Romana Rubeo is an Italian writer and the managing editor of The
Palestine Chronicle. Her articles appeared in many online newspapers and
academic journals. She holds a Master’s Degree in Foreign Languages and
Literature and specializes in audio-visual and journalism translation.*
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