Photo: Anadolu Agency
In this episode of PalCast, hosts Yousef and Tony spoke with Palestinian researcher, writer and podcaster Hala Hanina about her experience of leaving Gaza shortly before October 7, the loss of her home and community, and her decision to keep telling Palestinian stories from London. Hala, who co-hosts the Palestine Deep Dive podcast and hosts Falasteeniya, reflected on the Gaza she left behind, including her wedding day and the people who were there, many of whom have since been killed or displaced.
Hala described the personal losses she experienced during the ongoing genocide, including the destruction of her family home and the deaths of friends, including journalists who had documented her wedding. She spoke about hope as a means of survival, despite the scale of the devastation facing Palestinians in Gaza. She also discussed what she saw as the failure of international institutions to act on ICC arrest warrants and ICJ rulings, while acknowledging limited measures such as UK sanctions on Israeli settlers and the EU’s refusal of Israeli war bonds. For Hala, these actions remained far from what was needed in response to the scale of the violence.
The conversation also explored Hala’s work as a storyteller and the responsibility she felt to give Palestinians space to speak for themselves. She explained that her work with Falasteeniya and Palestine Deep Dive aimed to challenge mainstream media narratives and document experiences that might otherwise go unheard. She recalled how her father, who had previously urged her to stay away from political activism for her own safety, later asked her to speak out and tell the world what was happening as her family faced danger in Gaza. Hala also shared the story of journalist Shrouq Al Aila, the widow of journalist Rashid al-Sarraj, who continued leading Ayn Media after her husband’s murder and appeared for an interview despite suffering from famine.
The episode also reflected on the emotional weight of documenting these experiences and the responsibility that comes with telling stories during a genocide. Technical difficulties affected parts of the recording, but the conversation continued to focus on the people and stories Hala believed needed to be heard. Listen to the new episode of PalCast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and share it with others so these stories can reach a wider audience.