Friends of Al Aqsa held a session centred on the women of Gaza: wives, mothers, and daughters who are carrying unbearable trauma while keeping their families alive.
Political activist Neelam, the lead speaker, reminded the audience that Palestinian women are holding society together as caregivers, doctors, educators, activists, and journalists.
She said: “The liberation of Palestine must include the empowerment of women, their voices, their leadership.”
Neelam began with stark figures to show the scale of what women in Gaza are facing, including how seven in 10 women killed in conflict globally were killed in Gaza.
Life expectancy of Palestinian women has also fallen to 30 years and, since October 2023, more than 28,000 women and girls have been killed and 78,518 injured, while one million women and girls have been displaced.
A quarter of a million women are starving, and half a million more face extreme hunger, while nearly 700,000 women of reproductive age cannot manage menstruation safely, nearly half a million women and girls need psychological support, with about 239,000 experiencing mental disorders, 89 percent of women-led organisations in Gaza have been severely damaged, and only one gender based violence shelter still operates
More than 58,600 households in Gaza are now also headed by women.
READ MORE: Blackburn 'united in grief and compassion' in remembrance of children killed in Gaza
READ MORE: Blackburn runner’s "toughest" 100-mile challenge for Gaza aid
The session included testimonies from Palestinian women. Ghadeer shared a message specifically for the people of Blackburn:
“At the beginning of 2024, when the occupation army attacked Rafah, we fled to the outskirts of Khan Younis.
"There was no food, no water, nothing to sustain life, just barren land. We built a tent that protected us from nothing, not the burning heat, not the freezing cold.
"We kept telling ourselves the genocide would end soon, but it continues until today. Every day brings death, bombing, and fear. Many of our relatives died in front of us.
"We have been displaced more than 15 times. Moving from place to place feels like choosing between one death and another.”
She finished with: “To the free people of Blackburn: Thank you. From our hearts, thank you.
"We will never forget what you have done for us, your voices, your solidarity. You are part of us. My father used to say, Look at the foreign nations. They rise up for us. We are not alone.”
Their testimonies showed not only suffering but generations of strength. Learning these stories helps people feel grounded in their own activism.
The session highlighted 14 influential Palestinian women whose work shaped resistance across generations:
1. Samira Abu Ghazaleh
One of the earliest Palestinian women journalists, she documented life after the Nakba and created space for women’s voices through one of the first women-led newspapers. Her work laid the foundation for future journalists like Shireen, Bisan and Plestia.
2. Fatima Bernawi
The first female Palestinian political prisoner, remembered for stepping into political resistance at a time when women’s involvement was rarely recognised.
3. Leila Khaled
Known globally for plane hijackings in 1969 and 1970 that caused no deaths, her actions aimed to force the world to acknowledge Palestinian displacement. She defied gender expectations and became a symbol of fearlessness.
4. Hind al Husseini
After finding 55 orphans following the Deir Yassin massacre, she created Dar al Tifl al Arabi. She taught children their history, culture and identity, believing education was resistance.
5. Intissar al Wazir (Umm Jihad)
A key organiser of the First Intifada. She helped build women’s committees, health networks, underground schools, food distribution groups and communication systems that kept communities functioning under closure.
6. Hanan Ashrawi
An intellectual and diplomatic voice who explained the Palestinian struggle to international audiences with clarity. She took part in major negotiations and still speaks publicly today.
7. Dareen Tatour
A poet imprisoned for a poem she posted online. Her case exposed the level of censorship faced by Palestinian artists and showed how powerful words can be.
8. Rim Banna
A singer who revived traditional songs, lullabies and folk music, preserving cultural memory for children growing up under trauma.
9. Shireen Abu Akleh
A trusted journalist who reported for over 25 years and became the face of Palestinian journalism. She was killed in 2022 while clearly marked as press.
10. Razan al Najjar
A 21 year old volunteer medic killed while treating the injured during the Great March of Return. She symbolises medical resistance and the bravery of young medics in Gaza.
11. Ahed Tamimi
Known since childhood for confronting soldiers in her village. Her imprisonment at 16 turned her into a global symbol of youth resistance, and travel bans in recent years show efforts to silence her.
12. Bisan Owda
A young filmmaker whose videos documenting the genocide reached millions. Her updates have become historical records because international media cannot enter Gaza.
13. Plestia Alaqad
A journalist who showed the emotional reality of the war, often filming in fear while bombs fell nearby. She fled Gaza and now continues her work from Australia.
14. Mariam Riyad Abu Dagga
A photojournalist killed in August 2025 at Al Nasser Hospital. Her final images showed the destruction moments before she was killed. She is part of the same lineage as Shireen, documenting truth at the highest personal cost.
From Samira’s pen in the 1950s to Mariam’s camera in 2025, Palestinian women have carried the story of their people through journalism, culture, political struggle, medical care, and everyday survival.
Understanding the women who came before helps explain how the movement has survived and how much of it was shaped by women, even when history did not fully acknowledge them.
Share