Sobhi Khalil: "Thank God, I was content with Allah's will and destiny" Sobhi Khalil: "The chemotherapy sessions were extremely expensive"

The Egyptian artist, Sobhi Khalil, revealed a painful moment he went through after discovering that his daughter, Dalia, was diagnosed with stage four cancer, at a time when he was also struggling with financial difficulties.

He transcended the boundaries of pain and allowed his senses to awaken in the midst of a reckless, violent aggression, drawing inspiration for his creativity from the suffering of his homeland, which he always dreams of stabilizing. He hopes for the day when the birds will awaken to the breeze of Jerusalem, and when children will grow up to the sound of national songs free from cruelty and violence. He is a son of Gaza, the living Gaza that will never die, and today, his name has become synonymous with resistance in a world that is born with every word he documents, as generations shout the name of Palestine.

Palestinian poet and writer Mosab Abu Toha, a son of noble Gaza, conveyed the suffering as it is, awakening consciences that are still alive, amidst the events unfolding in the Strip. Despite the suffering he faces, along with his wife and three children who endure the same bitterness as the rest of the people of Gaza, he remains flowing in his writing, patient with what he witnesses, a witness to the ongoing circle of events, with words imbued with sorrow that make the world bear witness to his testimony.

Because he dares to tackle the difficult, Mosab Abu Toha, aged 32, has won the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary, in recognition of his impactful essays documenting the lives of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. His work uses his creativity for his suffocated people, drawing strength from the limitless resilience of the people of Gaza, creatively delivering the message as it is from reality. His work has influenced the world, as humanity has been affected.

Through his platform, Abu Toha proudly announced on X, saying: "I have just won the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary. Let this be hope / Let this be a tale."

Abu Toha, a son of Gaza, conveyed the suffering of Gaza through his pen, and today Gaza records a victory with its creative children soaring despite a sky colored with ash and land soaked in the scent of the blood of those who have ascended without farewells.

Portraying Physical and Emotional Devastation

The Pulitzer committee praised his work for portraying "the physical and emotional devastation in Gaza" in a way that blends "deep investigative journalism with the intimacy of memoir." His writings document more than a year and a half of conflict in the region, moving between scenes of daily survival and profound loss.

Abu Toha has spent most of his life in Gaza. In 2023, while attempting to escape the violence in northern Gaza with his wife and three children, he was detained by the Israeli forces. He later wrote, "They separated me from my family, beat me, and interrogated me." After an international outcry from colleagues and supporters, he was eventually released and allowed to travel to the United States.

The Endless Struggle of Gazans

In his essays, Abu Toha juxtaposes the struggle of Gazans for food and safety with memories of calmer days. He wrote: "I long to return to Gaza, sit at the kitchen table with my mother and father, and make tea for my sisters. I don’t need food, I just want to see them again."

One of his moving pieces recalls the destruction of the Jabalia refugee camp, where he spent most of his childhood. He reflected: "I looked at the photos again and again, and in my mind, an image of a graveyard kept growing and growing."

His work also sheds light on the suffering of Palestinians outside their homeland. He recounted an experience during a layover in Boston, where a TSA agent tested his hands for explosives. "I was kidnapped by the Israeli army in November," he told the agent. "They stripped me of my clothes... today, you come and separate me from my wife and children, just like the army did a few months ago."

Global Echo and Praise

His recognition has received wide acclaim from around the world, including from renowned filmmaker Martin Scorsese, who personally congratulated him on his win. Abu Toha wrote on Instagram: "Guess who made sure to attend to honor me and celebrate the Pulitzer Prize, even in the smallest way, while our families in Gaza starve and continue to face danger? Well, there’s only one Martin Scorsese."