2011 Film: One Family in Gaza

© Jen Marlowe

One Family in Gaza

Just months after the 2008/9 Israeli assault that killed 1,390 Palestinians, filmmaker Jen Marlowe visited Gaza. Among dozens of painful stories she heard, one family stood out. She spent several days with Kamal and Wafaa Awajah, playing with their children, sleeping in the tent they were living in, and filming their story.

Wafaa described the execution of their son, Ibrahim. As she spoke, her children played on the rubble of their destroyed home. Kamal talked about struggling to help his kids heal from trauma.

Palestinians in Gaza are depicted either as violent terrorists or as helpless victims. The Awajah family challenges both portrayals. Through one family's story, the larger tragedy of Gaza is exposed, and the courage and resilience of its people shines through.

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2014 Update: One Family in Gaza

In Jen Marlowe's 2011 film "One Family in Gaza," the Awajah family recounts the story of their home being destroyed and their nine-year old son killed. Since then, the family has lived through two more wars in Gaza. This video is a 5-minute update on the continued trauma endured by the Awajah family, like so many other families in Gaza.

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