PalCast released a new episode, titled “You’ll Have To Kill Me,” featuring Ali Skaik, an English Literature student and writer from Gaza City. The episode included a content warning due to its subject matter that some may find sensitive and distressing. Ali reflected on how literature became a way to live and speak truth under siege, shaped by daily loss, fear, and hope. He spoke in his own voice about writing as survival, not abstraction.
In conversation with hosts Yousef and Tony, Ali shared a detailed account of his experiences during the recent assault on Gaza. He described repeated displacement, the destruction of homes, and the constant threat of death. He spoke about living conditions during winter, especially for families forced into tents or overcrowded houses. He also challenged the meaning of “ceasefire,” explaining that bombardment and danger never truly stopped.
The episode traced Ali’s journey from October 7 onward, beginning with his family’s forced flight from the Al-Jawazat area in Gaza City and the invasion of Gaza City neighborhoods. He recounted evacuations under gunfire, mass casualties near Al-Shifa hospital, homes being burned or occupied, and the fear of being trapped as tanks advanced. He described starvation, theft, and the erasure of once-vibrant areas, alongside moments of fragile safety found only in staying together.
The episode ended during an intense night of gunfire and shelling, with Ali’s story left unfinished and set to continue in the next release. Ali’s writing has appeared in We Are Not Numbers, The Nation, The Electronic Intifada, and The Intercept. The episode is now available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.