Maltese Writer Reminisces About Four Warm Years Living In Gaza
Images taken from Karl Schembri’s social media.
A renowned Maltese author made a short yet touching social media post, reminiscing about the four warm years that he spent living in Gaza.
From detailing the market below his home to appreciating the serene view he used to wake up to, Karl Schembri made it a point to share the simple beauty that once lay within Gaza.
Schembri lived in Gaza City, Al Rimal, Omar Al Mukhtar Street; The Square of the Unknown Soldier. He photographed his former neighbourhood in May 2011.
“A place where I walked, lived, bought my groceries, and got to know many friends. People of all classes would come here for a stroll. Families having ice cream, doing their shipping, enjoying little freedoms.”
“The tiny corner shop underneath me had all the essentials I needed – bread, coffee, cigarettes, toothpaste, and its owner’s old, warm, beautiful smile.”
Schembri went on to recount the daily friendly encounter he’d have with the owner of a flower shop, he shared his favourite coffee shop, the place he and his friends would gather, and his number one spot for fast food – seemingly to show that despite it all, within Gaza, people had lives. They had culture and love, they created a sense of comfort, welcomed people like Karl, and never stopped longing for freedom.
“The owner of a flower shop greeted me every morning on my walk to work. He’d insist on me taking a flower or two so I’d leave him a few shekels to give flowers to his next customer.”
“A coffee shop called Mazaj was the meeting place for countless hours of discussions with my friends. Pizza Land was my refuge for fast food.”
“Al Waha is where I’d have a sheesha and a coffee and write down poems or whatever came to mind on my Gaza notebooks.
“The view from my bedroom of the city and the Mediterranean Sea was my daily spiritual nutrient, as it is for many Palestinians who look at the horizon and dream of freedom.”
This comes amid a devastating conflict between Israel and Palestine which has caused widespread grief and destruction.
What do you make of Schembri’s post?
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