Inside the launch of Plestia Alaqad’s powerful debut: The Eyes of Gaza

Award-winning journalist and author Plestia Alaqad has released her first book, The Eyes of Gaza: A Diary of Resilience, a deeply personal account of life, loss, and witnessing war as it unfolds.

The launch was held at Al Magrudy’s Bookstore in Dubai, where Plestia spoke about the emotional journey behind writing the book. She reflected on the healing and heartbreak within its pages and the people whose stories inspired her.

Known for her calm, compassionate on-the-ground reporting during Israel’s bombardment of Gaza in 2023, Plestia became a vital voice to international audiences through social media, where she documented daily life under siege with courage and clarity. Her videos showed not only the destruction but the quiet, human moments of survival: children drawing, neighbors helping each other, and the haunting silences between explosions.

In an exclusive interview with Nukta, Plestia shared what it means to document pain as a journalist and someone living through it. She described her decision to write the book as one rooted in trauma and purpose.

More than a memoir, The Eyes of Gaza stands as a tribute to memory, resilience, and the often unseen moments of war, told through both a journalist’s perspective and a deeply human lens.

Watch the full interview with Plestia Alaqad on Nukta