شاطئ الأحزان

The Beach of Sorrows (Gaza): Laughter and Tears Amidst the Rubble of History

Episode One (Beginnings): I yearn for the land of Gaza… even if my silence betrays me after our separation. May God bless a land whose soil, if I could but possess it… I would use to adorn my eyes with it, so intense is my longing. Imam Muhammad ibn Idris al-Shafi'i. I pondered a title for a series of articles exploring the ancient history of Gaza, and I found myself choosing "The Shore of Sorrows," a title that, unfortunately, applies to both the past and the present.