Under the Olive Tree at Sunrise: Fear and Disorientation in Gaza

Under the Olive Tree at Sunrise

Fear and Disorientation in Gaza

By Shatha Al-Qudwa

What does it mean to come of age in the middle of war?

In this deeply personal and unfiltered memoir, Shatha Al-Qudwa - a young dental student from Gaza - opens her heart to the world, documenting her journey through displacement, fear, survival, and quiet resilience.

From walking to university under bombardment...

to studying by candlelight...

to helping families open donation campaigns while struggling to survive herself...

Shatha's story is not one of headlines - but of humanity.

Through her words, readers witness:

- Life as a student during genocide

- The emotional weight of mutual aid work

- The loss of safety, dreams, and normalcy

- The strength of family, faith, and community

- The invisible cost of survival

Yet even in devastation, her voice remains soft, reflective, and profoundly human - searching not for pity, but for dignity... not for sympathy, but for understanding.

This bilingual edition (Arabic & English) preserves Shatha's voice in her native language while making her story accessible to readers worldwide.

Under the Olive Tree at Sunrise is more than a memoir -

it is a testimony of endurance, compassion, and the fragile hope that still rises with the sun.

All proceeds and awareness from this book support ongoing humanitarian relief and mutual aid efforts for families in Gaza.

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"We do not want the world to feed us forever...

We want the chance to live."