Gaza on Screen, edited by Nadia Yaqub. Duke University Press, 2023, 277 pp.

Abstract

In Gaza on Screen, edited by Nadia Yaqub, the reader is presented with a profound exploration of the visual narratives emerging from Gaza, a region synonymous with conflict, resilience, and the enduring struggle for identity. Published by Duke University Press in 2023, this anthology was released prior to the renewed armed conflict between Israel and Hamas-led Palestinian militant groups that began on October 7, 2023, in the Gaza Strip and Israel. This timing situates the book in a context that predates the recent escalation, allowing its essays to focus on long-standing dynamics within Gaza’s visual media landscape. The collection analyses how visual media, particularly film, represents the Palestinian experience, especially within the context of Gaza’s ongoing struggles under siege and occupation. By dissecting various films, videos, and other visual content, the contributors to this volume examine the multifaceted ways in which Gaza is portrayed on screen, revealing the power of media as both a tool of resistance and a mechanism of survival.

Keywords

• gaza conflict
• palestinian cinema
• visual representation
• cultural identity
• media narratives