Palestinian poet, novelist Heba Abu Nada killed by Israeli strike

On Friday, the Palestinian Ministry of Culture announced the death of Palestinian poet and novelist Heba Abu Nada. The author was killed during bombardment at Khan Younis by the Israel.

Heba’s debut novel ‘Oxygen Is Not For The Dead’ in 2017 won her the second place at the Sharjah Award for Arab Creativity.

Abu Nada was born in Mecca in 1991, studied bio chemistry at the Islamic University of Gaza, and completed her Masters in Clinical Nutrition.

Palestinian-Swedish political scientist Abdalhadi Alija, who announced Heba’s death on social media, added a declaration she had made before passing away: “If we die, know that we are content and steadfast, and convey on our behalf that we are people of truth.”

With great sadness we mourn one of the most talented Gaza feminist poet and novelist, Heba Abu Nada. Her novel named, “Oxygen is not for the dead”. She wrote yesterday,”If we die, know that we are content and steadfast, and convey on our behalf that we are people of truth."……..… pic.twitter.com/lcStUZN28q

— Abdalhadi Alijla عبد الهادي العجلة (@alijla2021) October 20, 2023