PalCast released a new episode titled Chasing My Dream in a Genocide, featuring 19-year-old writer and activist Ahmad Abushawish from Gaza. Ahmad had already shared his voice through platforms such as Al Jazeera, Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, Electronic Intifada, Prism Reports, and We Are Not Numbers. In this episode, he spoke from Nuseirat, Gaza, only hours after finishing his final high school exams, offering a moving account of determination in the face of unimaginable hardship.
Hosted by Yousef and Tony, the episode highlighted Ahmad’s struggle to complete his Tawjihi exams during Israel’s ongoing genocide against Gaza. He described how life froze under constant bombardment and how he used the metaphor of an escalator moving the wrong way to explain his daily struggle. Despite being displaced, losing close friends, and enduring crowded living conditions, Ahmad showed resilience and an unshaken will to keep moving forward.
The conversation also shed light on Ahmad’s ambitions. He shared his dream of studying at a prestigious university abroad, not to escape Gaza, but to gain the skills needed to better serve his people. He expressed his wish to apply to UK universities to study engineering, while also recounting his writing journey and his efforts to support his community through small initiatives such as producing mosquito repellent for families in tents. His testimony painted a clear picture of how young Palestinians continued to resist despair through creativity and purpose.
The hosts closed the episode by underscoring Ahmad’s strength and by reminding listeners that the United Nations had declared Israel’s actions in Gaza a genocide. They invited listeners to help Ahmad reach his dream of higher education and to stand with young Palestinians like him who refused to give up on their future. The episode is now available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.