Refat Alarir, one of the most well-known representatives of the new generation of Palestinian writers, was killed during Israeli bombings on December 7, 2023. The Euro-Mediterranean Observatory accused Israel of deliberate murder, through "surgical bombing," of the distinguished academic and author.

The volume he edited, Gaza Responds, is an impressive and unexpected anthology of short stories written by fifteen young writers from Gaza, members of a generation that has suffered tremendously from the siege and blockade by Israel. Their experiences, particularly from the attack known as Operation "Cast Lead," have profoundly influenced their lives and writings.

Their words transport us to the homes and hearts of many parents, children, students, and the elderly who struggle to live their lives with dignity, compassion, and meaning in one of the most relentless war zones in the world. The texts of these young people resonate and touch us with the small and large struggles they bring to the fore, as well as with the stoicism, hope, and courage that their biographies exude.