Pleadings Before an Absent Conscience
Shaza Abu Dayah
Shaza Abu Dayah
My name is Shaza Abu Dayah, a writer from Gaza. I am 31 years old, a lecturer, a psychologist, and a sign language interpreter. Some people also call me a journalist, because my writing carries the stories of life, people, and the reality we endure every day since October 07 2023. My life has changed in ways I could never have imagined. My family and I lost everything we owned. Our home, our car, and our livelihood were destroyed. We now live in a tent, trying to create fragments of life and dignity amid harsh conditions. From the world I once knew, nothing remained except my pen.
That pen has become my form of resistance. I write because writing allows me to continue. It is the space where memory survives and where I can tell the world what is happening to us. For me, writing is not merely words on paper; it is an act of survival, a refusal to disappear, and a way to protect human dignity in the midst of devastation.
I write about Gaza about people who insist on living despite everything surrounding them, and about the small, fragile moments that still carry light in the darkest times. I believe words can be an act of resistance, and that the pen has the power to carry truth beyond borders and awaken empathy. I know that my voice is real and meaningful because I do not write about distant stories. I write about what I have lived, witnessed, and felt with my own heart. My words are born from experience, from a reality I inhabit every day, and I strive to speak honestly about pain, hope, and the strength of the human spirit.
I also write for memory. I write so our stories will not vanish, so that our testimonies remain alive. I write about the ongoing Nakba our people continue to endure, so that one day the world cannot say it did not know just as many claimed after the Nakba of 1948. Writing, for me, is a way of preserving truth and safeguarding memory for future generations. Through my work in psychology, I also try to support people in moments of fragility and help nurture resilience in the face of unimaginable hardship. Today, I continue to write because I believe stories must be told and voices must be heard. We may have lost almost everything, but I still have my pen. And with it, I will continue to resist, to write, and to dream of a future that is more just, more humane, and free.
Find me on Instagram @shazafromgaza
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