eHalal Palestine
🇵🇸 Palestinian Literary Luminary, Heba Kamal, Succumbs to Israeli Airstrike in Gaza Strip
The Gaza Strip was plunged into mourning as news broke of the tragic demise of Palestinian writer Heba Kamal, a vibrant and talented literary voice, in the wake of an Israeli bombing. The profound loss of a literary talent was conveyed with heavy hearts by the Palestinian Ministry of Culture in a statement shared on their official Facebook page. Kamal’s untimely passing marks the silencing of a gifted storyteller who enriched the world with her prose, novels, and poetry.
Born in 1991 in Saudi Arabia, Heba Kamal hailed from a family of Palestinian refugees who were displaced from Beit Jirja in 1948. Her life was an embodiment of resilience and creativity, transcending the boundaries of adversity. Her educational pursuits led her to study biochemistry and educational rehabilitation, and she ultimately channeled her energies into the field of education.
Heba Kamal’s dedication to the written word and her literary prowess were celebrated with numerous awards throughout her career. Notable among her accolades was the prestigious first-place recognition in the short story category in Palestine. She also clinched the second place in the Arab world, a remarkable achievement, through the Sharjah Award for Arab Creativity, for her compelling novel titled “Oxygen is not for the dead.”
The world of literature and her homeland have lost a luminous star whose words resonated with the pain, resilience, and dreams of her people. Heba Kamal’s indomitable spirit and her literary legacy will continue to inspire generations, even as her untimely departure leaves a void that can never be filled.