Saleem Al-Naffar
Palestinian poet born in Gaza refugee camp, advocated peaceful resistance through verses exploring struggle and memory of his people.
Saleem Al-Naffar, born in 1963 in a Gaza refugee camp, became a renowned Palestinian poet. Exiled to Jordan and Syria in his youth, he studied Arab literature at Tishreen University. Returning to Gaza in 1994, Al-Naffar published poetry collections, novels, and an autobiography in Arabic. His work often expressed the Palestinian struggle for survival and remembrance. Al-Naffar's poetry was characterized by themes of exile, resistance, and hope. Tragically, he and his family were killed in an Israeli airstrike on their Gaza City home on December 7, 2023, cutting short a life dedicated to capturing the Palestinian experience through verse[1][7].