"We Are Not Numbers is not just a book—it's my life, their life, and our shared story ... This is Gaza as it truly is, written by those who live it every day" —MOTAZ AZIZA
"This book is a jailbreak and a miracle" —NAOMI KLEIN
"Essential ... A project that insists on liberation" —TA-NEHISI COATES
"Impossible to put down or forget" —RIZ AHMED
A teenage girl stares at her roof, hoping it won’t collapse over her head. A young student searches the Internet for photos of libraries around the world, hoping he’ll be able to visit them one day. Another walks around the city, taking notes of all the buildings she dreams of repairing.
These are the stories of young people from Gaza, born under Israeli occupation and blockade. They are people who have endured unspeakable struggles and losses, who keep fighting to be recognized not as numbers, but as human beings with hopes, dreams, and lives worth living.
We Are Not Numbers was founded in 2014 to give voice to the youth of Gaza. In this collection—vital, urgent and full of heart, spanning over ten years to the present moment—we gain an unparalleled insight into the past, as well as the current and next generation of Palestinian leaders, artists, scientists and scholars and imagine where we might go from here.
About the Author
Ahmed Alnaouq grew up in Gaza where he earned a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from al-Azher University. Ahmed was the inspiration for, and original project manager of, We Are Not Numbers. He later won the UK’s prestigious Chevening scholarship and earned a master’s degree in international journalism from Leeds University. He also serves as advocacy and outreach officer for the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor. Ahmed’s writings have been published by the Gulf News, New Arab, and other websites. He is currently based in London.
Pam Bailey is a freelance journalist and social-justice activist. She lived and worked in the Gaza Strip immediately following the 2008/9 Israeli assault. Today, she is a communications consultant and writer/editor for nonprofits such as ImpACT International for Human Rights Policies. She has also founded More Than Our Crimes, a nonprofit initiative focused on assuring second chances for individuals convicted of violent crimes in the United States. She is based in Washington DC.
Praise For…
“Essential . . . A project that insists on liberation.” — Ta-Nehisi Coates
“A rebellion against the singular story. An insightful, multifaceted glimpse into the besieged Gaza Strip, where millions of people continue to confront a genocide waged by an Israeli regime.” — Mohammed el-Kurd
“With lovingly crafted words and stories, the authors in We Are Not Numbers open portals in Israel’s apartheid wall, inviting readers into the impossible realities of life under siege in Gaza. The collective commitment to doing whatever it takes to produce this extraordinary symphony of testimony is evident on every page. This book is a jailbreak—and a miracle.” — Naomi Klein
“We Are Not Numbers is not just a book—it’s my life, their life, and our shared story. I know some of these brave writers; I’ve walked the same streets, felt the same fear, and shared the same dreams under Gaza’s skies. These pages carry the truth of our struggle and the beauty of our humanity. This is Gaza as it truly is, written by those who live it every day.” — Motaz Azaiza, award-winning Palestinian photojournalist
“Picking up this book may seem hard because of the subject matter; putting it down is even harder. The voices of Gaza’s young writers are so moving and varied and astonishing. You’ll carry We Are Not Numbers in your heart for a very long time.” — Kamila Shamsie
“A brilliant collection of voices that lays bare the struggles and suffering of ordinary young Palestinians. More importantly, it illuminates their humanity and dignity, and the hopes and dreams that persist even in the face of death and destruction.” — Monica Ali
“Wondrous, devastating, and vibrant beyond measure. These essays, piercing and searching, striking and warm, grapple with the question of how to make a life. An achievement and a marvel, an absolute shooting star.” — Bryan Washington
“Impossible to put down or forget—a testament to the unimaginable strength of the people of Gaza.” — Riz Ahmed
“Powerful, humane, and heroic . . . the voices of Palestinians soar. This is the most important collection of writing published today. It’s a book the world must know.” — Jenni Fagan
“They are the hopes of a cruel world, the humanity of an inhumane era, the resolve in a time of evil. Their voices will bellow through the ages.” — Owen Jones
“A vital book. The emergence of these voices is politically and ethically urgent, of course, but it is also a profoundly important literary event.” — China Mieville
"Gaza’s youth has spoken through this heart-rending and often beautiful collection. The least we can do is listen to them." — Middle East Eye
"An essential read capturing an unparalleled insight into life in Gaza by a generation that Israel seeks to destroy." — The New Arab
“We Are Not Numbers takes the voices of Gaza’s youth out beyond the walls of the world’s largest open-air prison, now become a killing field ... The prison that Israel has made of Gaza will go the way of all prisons: in the end, its walls will fall ... What will be left, in the end, has been written by Palestinians—a people who will never relinquish their humanity.” — Jim Hicks, The Massachusetts Review
"Against the backdrop of censorship, ethnic cleansing, attempted identity erasure and internet blackouts, We Are Not Numbers is a stark reminder of Palestinian writers’ existence and will to prevail." — The New Arab
“We Are Not Numbers: The Voice of Gaza's Youth compiles stories, poems and essays by young Gazans, offering raw, personal perspectives on life under Israel's siege that challenge media narratives and affirm Palestinian humanity beyond statistics. It highlights the resilience, creativity, and courage of Gaza's youth, showing how they document their lives and struggles despite conflict and hardship.” — The New Arab, 25 Standout Books of 2025
