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As bombs were dropped on the Gaza neighborhoods surrounding Mosab Abu Toha and his family, he said the sound could be heard echoing throughout his home. He sat with his three children and watched as they covered their ears.

After attempting to flee from Gaza in Dec. 2023, Abu Toha was arrested by Israeli Defense Forces and beaten. After two days, he was released by an officer who said his detainment had been a mistake.

Abu Toha and his family arrived in the United States later that month. Now living in the U.S., he shares his experiences living in Palestine through his poetry.

Over 70 members of the Syracuse community gathered Saturday night to hear Abu Toha, an SU alumnus and award-winning poet, speak about his most recent poetry book, Forest of Noise. The book, his second, recounts first-hand the effects of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war on the Palestinian people. Abu Toha shared his poems and the stories behind them at the event, hosted at ArtRage Gallery in Syracuse’s Hawley-Green neighborhood.

“I never imagined that this house would be bombed … it is filled with books, books from everywhere in the world, and it’s filled with love, family love, my parents, the garden … the trees, everything,” Abu Toha said, pointing at an image of his home in Gaza. “I could never imagine that this house was turned into a pile of rubble.”

Abu Toha completed his MFA in creative writing at Syracuse University in 2023 before returning to Gaza. There, he worked as a teacher and poet, and commented publicly about the war through his poetry and social media pages.

He shared several images from his life in Gaza, including pictures with a former student who he said was killed while looking for firewood for his family. Abu Toha said he remembered calling the student while he was studying at SU and promised to help him apply there when he was older.

Abu Toha also shared an image of his library at home, which he said has since been destroyed in the war, along with the rest of his family’s belongings. He helped open two branches of Gaza’s first English library, the Edward Said Public Library, which is now also destroyed.

He played a video he recorded of bombs dropping near his home, giving the audience a glimpse into the sounds echoing through the background of his poetry.

“I ask my son if he wishes to become a pilot when he grows up. He says he won’t wish to drop bombs on people and their houses,” Abu Toha said.

After the poetry reading, Abu Toha answered attendees’ questions about U.S. involvement in the war.

Most attendees asked about what people in the U.S. can do to help those in Gaza and hear Abu Toha’s thoughts about foreign powers’ involvement in the war.

Abu Toha said the best thing that people overseas can do to aid Gaza is to learn about the personal experiences of Palestinians as well as the politics of the conflict.

“These people, refugees, were supposed to be helped out by the world communities to achieve their freedom, achieve their return that is guaranteed by international law, instead of them being helped out… they are made refugees again,” Abu Toha said.

Dana Carmeli, one of the event’s organizers, said that since Oct. 7, 2023, many people within academic communities have lacked the courage to make comments regarding Gaza and Saturday’s event served as a public recognition of the injustices happening to Palestinian people.

Julia Ganson, another event organizer and retired Maxwell professor who managed SU’s Middle East program, said Abu Toha’s poetry reading came about quickly after ArtRage decided to host Baha Hilo, a Palestinian educator and activist. Hilo will be part of an event at the gallery on Tuesday.

“There’s been a lot of clamoring for more people to speak following what has happened in Gaza, and Mosab connects with people and is so comfortable talking,” Ganson said.

The event was organized primarily by the Syracuse Peace Council’s Justice for Palestine committee and sponsored by multiple local organizations such as Jewish Voice for Peace and Veterans for Peace, along with Syracuse University’s Department of Women and Gender Studies and Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine.

Abu Toha closed with his belief in a bright future in Palestine led by the next generation of young people and their advocacy.

“So, this is what I’m hoping for, that this young generation, who is enlightened and who knows the history of Palestine, is going to lead to a change for the better, … not only for Palestine, but everywhere in the world,” Abu Toha said.

Abu Toha’s visit to Syracuse came just before his next national book tour is set to begin. He said he would return to the gallery to speak again in the future.

Published on January 12, 2025 at 5:31 pm

Contact Arabella: akklonow@syr.edu