A powerful book of images of Gaza’s children has been published by Scottish independent children’s publisher Sunono, which specialises in Arabic early readers and language guides. Gaza I Spy takes its name from the popular children’s game ‘I spy with my little eye…’ and includes images of children hanging up the washing on lines stretching across the rubble of bombed homes, or the daily struggle to find water.
Published as a high quality coffee-table book with a linen cover it retails at £85 with all receipts going to Gaza charities. Nasher spoke to Sunono’s founder and publisher Feda Shtia.
How did the project come about?
The project began with a deep sense of urgency and responsibility. As a publisher, I have always believed in the power of storytelling to create change, and the voices of Gaza’s children needed to be heard. Their reality is often reduced to numbers and headlines, but I wanted to bring their personal stories to the forefront—raw, unfiltered, and told through their own eyes. The idea was to create a book that documents their daily lives, resilience, and innocence, despite the destruction around them.
As a Palestinian-Jordanian and a second-generation refugee, I have always carried the weight of displacement and exile. Watching the horrifying images of children being slaughtered was deeply shocking, but what disturbed me even more was the control over Palestinian content on social media. My account was banned multiple times, posts were removed, and severe restrictions were placed on my content.
As an author and publisher of children’s books, I knew I had to do something. My mind could not settle on just another fictional children’s book—I needed something real. A documentary-style project, something built around photographs, something that focused on children. That’s when the idea for Gaza I Spy was born.
How did you find Anas and Hammam, the photographers?
During my search for powerful, authentic images, I reached out to every photographer in Gaza I could find. Eventually, I connected with Anas Ayyad and Hammam Younis Al-Zyatuniya through Instagram. They were immediately drawn to the project and its focus on children.
I asked them to capture children’s daily lives through specific themes: how they eat, sleep, go to school, and play. As we worked on the project, we applied for the Photographic Humanity Grant, a humanitarian photography award. Their work stood out, and the project won the grant in May 2024. However, despite being awarded $5,000, they have yet to receive it due to the blockade preventing them from purchasing and sending a camera into Gaza.
While working with Anas and Hammam, I felt that something was missing—a mother’s perspective. I wanted storytelling from inside Gaza, not just journalistic documentation. That’s when I found Sabreen Al Baz on Instagram. A mother of three young daughters, she documented her family’s displacement from Deir al-Balah to Khan Younis to Nuseirat School, then to Beach Camp, and back again—narrowly escaping death each time.
Sabreen photographed children inside the UNRWA school in Nuseirat, capturing their daily struggles—waiting in line for water and food, small moments of joy with face painting, and brief escapes to Gaza’s beautiful beach.
Have their lives been in danger?
Yes, absolutely. Living and working in Gaza is incredibly dangerous, and being a photojournalist only increases the risk. They have lost colleagues, friends, and even family members to airstrikes.
Sabreen, Anas, and Hammam continue to risk their lives daily. When I asked Sabreen to send over her photographs, it meant she had to walk long distances through dangerous areas just to find an internet connection. For Anas and Hammam, the risks were even greater—they were directly targeted as journalists. Their media tent was bombed multiple times.
Every time I heard news of a school being bombed, my heart sank, and I immediately reached out to check on Sabreen, who was sheltering in Nuseirat School.
Where are they now?
Anas and Hammam remain in Gaza, continuing their work under extremely difficult conditions. They remain committed to documenting the truth, even as their own lives and homes remain under constant threat.
Sabreen has returned to her home in Deir al-Balah. Just last week, she sent me a photo of herself redecorating her daughters’ room—a small act of hope amidst the devastation. I am hoping we can include these new images in our next book about Gaza.
The project is very different from Sunono’s normal publishing – what made you want to do it?
Sunono Publishing primarily focuses on children’s books, particularly in promoting Arabic as a second language through levelled reading. But when I saw these images, I knew this book had to exist.
While this is a departure from my usual projects, Gaza I Spy still aligns with my core mission—creating books that educate, inspire, and preserve cultural identity. At its heart, this is still a children’s story, but in a different form.
What is the image on the cover?
The back cover features Lulu, a young girl standing amidst the ruins, holding a shopping bag as if on a treasure hunt. She wears lipstick and places her hand confidently on her hip, silently declaring, “This is home, and it will always be home—no matter who tries to destroy it.”
The front cover is inspired by the watermelon as an iconic symbol of Palestinian resistance. After Israel occupied the West Bank and Gaza in 1967, it banned the display of the Palestinian flag in many areas. In response, Palestinians began using watermelon slices as a form of defiance, as the fruit’s colors—red, white, black, and green—mirror those of the flag. This symbolic act continued until the signing of the Oslo Accords in the early 1990s, when the Palestinian flag was officially recognized and its display was no longer prohibited The cover artwork was designed by Samar Salah Eldeen.
It’s also worth noting that this book is a luxury coffee-table edition, featuring a linen hardcover with the artwork individually affixed by hand.
What are your hopes for the book at the London Book Fair?
I hope Gaza I Spy sparks meaningful conversations and reaches a global audience. More than just a book launch, I see this as an opportunity to build awareness, encourage media coverage, and secure partnerships for wider distribution.
I also hope to connect with organizations that can help ensure proceeds from the book continue to support children in Gaza. Additionally, I would love to see the book featured at book festivals, exhibited in photography galleries, and displayed in museums as a testament to the resilience of Gaza’s children.
Can you tell me a little bit about yourself? Where were you born and where did you grow up?
I was born in Abu Dhabi to Palestinian-Jordanian parents and grew up in the UAE. I studied Arabic Literature at the University of Jordan. Afterward, I worked as an Arabic teacher in Abu Dhabi and Dubai before deciding to pursue my writing career full-time.
I believe you also run a retreat from your home. Can you tell me more?
Sunono Retreat is a luxurious creative retreat located in a Victorian mansion in the breathtaking Scottish countryside. Designed for writers, readers, and artists, the retreat provides a peaceful and inspiring environment to focus on creativity, reflection, and personal growth. We proudly partnered with the Ministry of Culture and Translation in Saudi Arabia, strengthening cultural exchange and literary initiatives. Sunono Retreat blends Arab hospitality with Scottish charm, providing an unparalleled creative getaway. More details are here: https://sunono.scot/sunono-retreat/
Finally, what are your hopes for Palestine?
My deepest hope is for dignity, justice, and the right of return. For the children of Gaza, I dream of a future where they can simply be children—where they can play, learn, and grow without the constant shadow of war or the fear of being displaced from their homes.
I want the world to truly see them—to recognize their resilience, acknowledge their suffering, and take meaningful action to secure their future.
