Israel KILLED Four of This Book’s Authors Before It Was Even Published

Quick Overview

Co-founder Pam Bailey confirms that the book "We Are Not Numbers," which features stories from young Gazans, was inspired by the need to humanize Palestinians beyond casualty statistics, especially after the October 7th attacks, motivating the project's expansion to include more writers and greater outreach.

Key Points: The book "We Are Not Numbers" features 1,323 raw, uncut stories from 323 young Palestinians in Gaza, mentored by professionals. Co-founders Ahmed Alnaouq and Pam Bailey started the project in 2015, eight years prior to the October 7th events. Ahmed Alnaouq notes that his brother, Mahmoud, a writer and resistance fighter, was killed by an Israeli missile in October 2023, along with 21 family members. Pam Bailey states that the project's success has exceeded their initial expectations, demonstrating the power of their stories to counter dehumanization. Bailey emphasizes that the stories are essential because they show the humanity of Palestinians, contrasting with the narrative often presented by mainstream media. The book is dedicated to Mahmoud Alnaouq and three other young writers killed by Israel before publication. The non-violent resistance approach promoted by the book is crucial because Palestinians have always opposed the occupation, even before Hamas's rise.

Context: This video features an interview on 'Mehdi Unfiltered' with Pam Bailey, social-justice activist and co-founder of the 'We Are Not Numbers' project, and Ahmed Alnaouq, journalist and co-founder, discussing the book 'We Are Not Numbers: The Voices of Gaza's Youth.' The discussion centers on the motivation behind collecting and sharing personal stories from young Palestinians in Gaza, particularly in light of recent violence and the ongoing occupation.

Detailed Analysis

The interview focuses on the book "We Are Not Numbers," a collection of essays, poems, and stories written by young Palestinians in Gaza, mentored by professional writers and journalists like Ahmed Alnaouq and Pam Bailey. The project began in 2015, with the explicit goal of humanizing Palestinians beyond the statistics often reported in the media, especially following the October 7th attacks. Pam Bailey notes that the project's success has been overwhelming, far exceeding their initial hopes, and she feels a moral imperative to continue sharing these stories to counter the dehumanizing narratives from mainstream media and political actors who frame Palestinians solely as terrorists or victims. Ahmed Alnaouq reveals the profound personal cost of the conflict, stating that his brother, Mahmoud Alnaouq, a writer who inspired the project, was killed along with 21 other family members in an Israeli missile strike in October 2023, emphasizing that those killed were civilians, not militants. Alnaouq commits to continuing to speak out about his family's story and the wider Palestinian experience, asserting that non-violent resistance storytelling is the best way to resist the occupation and the dehumanization that precedes violence.