Out of Gaza - by Katharina Galor (Paperback)

About the Book

In Out of Gaza, Katharina Galor, an Israeli Jew, tells the harrowing story of her friend Dima Mansour, a young Palestinian Muslim who survived the Gaza war of 2014 and an illegal escape to be with the man she loved. It is also the story of Galor and Mansour's deep friendship set against the asymmetry that defines the geopolitical context shaping their lives.

Book Synopsis

Out of Gaza tells the story of Dima Mansour, a young Palestinian who suffers hardship growing up in Jordan and Gaza during the Gaza War of 2014, later escaping to be with the man she loves in Belgium, where she is held in a detention center for illegal immigrants. Her harrowing story is told by Katharina Galor, an Israeli Jewish scholar who forms a close and unexpected friendship with Mansour. Despite the profound asymmetry that defines the geopolitical context of their lives--one marked by Palestinian loss and exile, the other by Jewish trauma and persecution--their bond uncovers surprising parallels in their shared experiences of displacement and survival.

As their friendship unfolds, Galor and Mansour come to intimately understand the lasting impact of ethnic cleansing from the Holocaust and the Nakba, and how these pivotal events have shaped their families, identities, and ties to the region. Out of Gaza delves into themes of identity, belonging, and the enduring effects of historical trauma, showing how empathy and resilience can bridge even the deepest divides.

Review Quotes

"Out of Gaza captures the remarkable journey of Dima, a Palestinian woman fighting for love and freedom in a fractured land. Through the lens of friendship, this true story bridges the chasm between Israelis and Palestinians, humanizing their shared histories while grappling with the complexities of occupation and resistance. Katharina Galor offers a deeply personal narrative that sheds light on the human cost of political strife, urging readers to find empathy and hope in a divided world."--Naika Foroutan, faculty of social sciences and humanities at Humboldt University of Berlin

"Out of Gaza is a gripping and deeply moving exploration of resilience and shared humanity. Through the story of Dima, a Palestinian refugee, and Katharina Galor's own reflections on her family's Holocaust history, this book tackles profound questions of love, survival, and connection. With its unique perspective on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Out of Gaza is a masterful blend of personal narrative and urgent social commentary. A must-read for anyone captivated by stories of courage, migration, and the unbreakable bonds that define us."--Sawsan Chebli, former Berlin State Secretary for Civic Engagement and International Affairs and the author of Loud

"A coming-of-age story with a twist. Informative and raw, with nail-biting tension, Katharina Galor's account of friendship, family, and citizenship reveals the unfeasible refugee situation--from corrupt border officials to unrealistic policies--and our complicity in it."--Katya Cengel, journalist and author of From Chernobyl with Love: Reporting from the Ruins of the Soviet Union

"Dima Mansour's strong voice and Katharina Galor's brave honesty make the story of their friendship--with its challenges, inequalities, and beauty--unique and compelling. This is a wonderful and powerful book."--Lihi Ben Shitrit, Henry and Marilyn Taub Associate Professor of Israel Studies at the Skirball Department of Hebrew and Judaic Studies at New York University

"This is a heartrending story about home, love, and displacement. That its protagonists are a Palestinian and an Israeli Jew is simply a setting for exposing the pain politics can bring to human life and for how to overcome that pain by remaining true to human values. It lights a candle in an overwhelming darkness."--Sari Nusseibeh, coauthor of Once Upon a Country: A Palestinian Life

"This poignant story of Palestinian loss, displacement, and resilience testifies to the survival of the human spirit through the most harrowing circumstances. The years-long friendship forged between the author--an Israeli Jewish scholar with her own family history of persecution--and Dima Mansour, a Palestinian refugee, shows how women can have each other's backs in the cruelest of times."--Hanan Toukan, author of The Politics of Art: Dissent and Cultural Diplomacy in Lebanon, Palestine, and Jordan

About the Author

Katharina Galor is the Hirschfield Senior Lecturer in Judaic Studies at Brown University. Born in Germany, where her parents had fled from communist Romania, Galor was educated in Germany, France, Israel, and the United States. She is the author or coauthor of four books, including The Moral Triangle: Germans, Israelis, Palestinians (with Sa'ed Atshan), and writes for or appears in various media outlets, including the Forward, Die Zeit, NPR, Israeli TV, National Geographic, and the Discovery Channel.