Mahasen al-Khateeb | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1993 (1993) |
| Died | 18 October 2024(2024-10-18) (aged 30–31) Jabalia refugee camp,Gaza Strip, Palestine |
Mahasen Al-Khateeb (1993 – 18 October 2024) was a Palestinian freelance artist, specialising in illustration and character design. She came to prominence during theIsraeli invasion of Gaza. During this difficult period of war, she used visual art to depict the ordeal and horrors undergone during the Israeli military campaign, disseminate the Palestinian cause and advocate for human rights.[1]
Two weeks before theOctober 7 attacks in 2023, she invested all her savings in a studio, where she strived to get some professional independence. However, the studio was destroyed inGaza war. She used whatever income she obtained to support her family. She also provided free online courses for other Palestinians who aspired to progress in artistic creation.[1]
Regarded as a talented artist, she conveyed strong narratives related to the harsh war realities facing, often by means of social media. Israel authorities suppressed virtually all Internet connectivity in Gaza, for which she often relied on social media, likeInstagram, to disseminate her artistic production. Al-Khateeb collaborated with many Arab agents and international institutions.[2]
She designed her last work, entitledTell me what you're feeling when you see anybody burning, in memory ofShaban al-Dalu, a 19-year-old burned to death in theIsraeli bombing of al-Aqsa Hospital days earlier.[3][1] She died shortly after hit by Israel shelling in her neighbourhood.
TheLucca Comics & Games Festival posthumously awarded her a special mention.[2]
In theBasque Country, multiple unions, includingELA,LAB,UGT, andCCOO called meetings inPamplona,Donostia,Bilbao andVitoria-Gasteiz to denounce her death, pay tribute, and demand an end to theGaza genocide. Student associations also organized gatherings in Basque educational and academic establishments. Al-Khateeb collaborated with the pro-Palestine association Gernika-Palestina.[4]
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