Description: Since the start of the unfolding genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, carried out through settler-colonial Israeli violence, higher education institutions have been systematically destroyed. Campuses lie in ruins, academics and students have been killed or forcibly displaced, and what was once a thriving, intellectually vibrant student population now lives under daily threat of bombardment, forced starvation, and death. For nearly two years, students have been cut off not only from their universities, but from their dreams, their futures, and even their most basic sense of safety. Yet, despite this unimaginable trauma, many are still writing. We Are Still Here is an anthology of these voices-raw, unfiltered, and courageous. It features short and long stories, poems, essays, and testimonies written by students from Gaza's universities. These are not retrospective reflections or distant analyses; they are real-time words, emerging from the depths of genocide, displacement, and grief. These writings may be their last hopes to reach the world, a final act of resistance through expression.
Brief description: Professor Zahid Pranjol is Professor in Biomedical Sciences at the University of Sussex. He is a leading voice in inclusive science education and curriculum reform, leading efforts to decolonise the biosciences curriculum by challenging Eurocentric biases and diversifying reading lists. Since April 2024 he has been supporting over 2,000 students across three major universities in Gaza by providing teaching materials, research mentorship, English language training and access to professional and mental health support. Jacob Norris is Associate Professor in Middle East History at the University of Sussex. He has written widely on Palestinian history in the 19th and 20th century and is currently working on the history of Palestinian solidarity in Latin America.