Walaa Jumaa Al Franji was 35 years old; she was a writer, calligrapher, and a prominent figure in Gaza’s artistic and business communities: “As a woman, ever since I graduated, I have been trying to create exceptional opportunities in difficult circumstances.”
She lived and worked in Gaza City. Her husband, Ahmed Saeed Salama, was a “Reels” creator, @ahmed_sallam3. Walaa’s Instagram account (@walaa.jom3a) had 95,000 followers; there she posted her artistic creations and was very popular in Gaza.
As a professional calligrapher and artisan, she engraved stones and created elegant, meticulously crafted gifts such as picture frames, keychains, and planters; she was also a writer; she published a book, “Mood sent.” She loved to write and kept a diary under the brutal Israeli occupation.
She owned a gift shop, “Surprise,” in the Rimal neighborhood, which was destroyed in the bombings. She was passionate about fashion and interior design; she created her own designs and launched the company “Fashion Room by Walaa.” She promoted traditional handicrafts—dresses embroidered with “Tatreez” designs—on social media.
Due to the massive bombings and evacuation orders from the Israeli army, they moved to Nuseirat, where she continued to try to carry on with her business ventures despite the precarious conditions of the shelter and Israel’s destruction and siege, documenting the genocide on social media.
In the early morning hours of December 25, 2024, she was killed along with her husband and a sister in their home in Nuseirat, which was bombed by Israel; 13 other people were killed; their bodies were taken to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital.
Drawings by Dolores Collado
Full story to print : 070_walaa_english.pdf
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