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On 21st of October 2023 Palestinian photographer Mahmoud Bassam posted a photo of a woman hugging the shrouded body of a child, whispering goodbyes to the child. The photo struck a cord with people all over the globe, many saying the image will never leave them.
The woman in the photo was Samia Alatrash, a 26 year old Palestinian journalist. The child in the shroud is her two year old niece Masa. Masa was killed alongside her four year old sister Lina and their parents in an Israeli airstrike on their home.
Samia has said that she wanted to hug Lina as well, but Masa was the only one who remained whole. She flew from the force of the missile over the roof of the neighbour’s house. The rest of the family were found in pieces under the rubble of the house.
It was only after painting the original image of Samia and her reaching out to me on Instagram that I found out who the child she was hugging, and what had happened to them.
The story of Samia’s family is horrific and heart-wrenching and should never have happened. But the world has allowed it to be repeated and repeated every day for the last 6 months. Thousands of families have similar stories.
I followed up the original painting with a painting of Samia how she should be, happy and smiling. And another of Lina alongside Masa.
I wish I could paint the faces of all 16,000 kids who deserved better than this world.
In May 2024 Samia's grandmother, Masa's great grandmother, Fatima, died as a result of Israel blocking medication and clean water from getting into Gaza. Fatima Hassan Al-Atrash was 86 years old. Older than the state of Israel. She was originally from the town of Zarnouga but was displaced when she was 6 years old, and grew up in Gaza City. There she got married and had seven sons and a single daughter, Samia’s mother Sahar Al-Atrash. Fatima had 50 grandkids. Five of them have been killed since October. Fatima and Samia’s older sister Samar raised Samia after their mother died when Samia was 6 years old. I painted the above mural of Fatima in June 2024.
If you would like to help Samia evacuate her remaining family members donations can be made here: Alatrash Family Evacuation and here: Extended Alatrash Family Evacuation Donations to send clean water to her family and other people in Gaza can be made here: On The Ground Aid Gaza
The woman in the photo was Samia Alatrash, a 26 year old Palestinian journalist. The child in the shroud is her two year old niece Masa. Masa was killed alongside her four year old sister Lina and their parents in an Israeli airstrike on their home.
Samia has said that she wanted to hug Lina as well, but Masa was the only one who remained whole. She flew from the force of the missile over the roof of the neighbour’s house. The rest of the family were found in pieces under the rubble of the house.
It was only after painting the original image of Samia and her reaching out to me on Instagram that I found out who the child she was hugging, and what had happened to them.
The story of Samia’s family is horrific and heart-wrenching and should never have happened. But the world has allowed it to be repeated and repeated every day for the last 6 months. Thousands of families have similar stories.
I followed up the original painting with a painting of Samia how she should be, happy and smiling. And another of Lina alongside Masa.
I wish I could paint the faces of all 16,000 kids who deserved better than this world.
In May 2024 Samia's grandmother, Masa's great grandmother, Fatima, died as a result of Israel blocking medication and clean water from getting into Gaza. Fatima Hassan Al-Atrash was 86 years old. Older than the state of Israel. She was originally from the town of Zarnouga but was displaced when she was 6 years old, and grew up in Gaza City. There she got married and had seven sons and a single daughter, Samia’s mother Sahar Al-Atrash. Fatima had 50 grandkids. Five of them have been killed since October. Fatima and Samia’s older sister Samar raised Samia after their mother died when Samia was 6 years old. I painted the above mural of Fatima in June 2024.
If you would like to help Samia evacuate her remaining family members donations can be made here: Alatrash Family Evacuation and here: Extended Alatrash Family Evacuation Donations to send clean water to her family and other people in Gaza can be made here: On The Ground Aid Gaza
