After losing his home, bookstore and son in the war, Gaza bookseller Mohammed Saad is rebuilding his collection one rescued book at a time. Selling volumes from a roadside tent, he is determined to preserve culture, memory and hope despite the devastation.
When war destroyed his home and bookstore in Beit Lahia, Mohammed Saad lost far more than a business. The 58-year-old bookseller saw the collection he had spent 35 years building buried beneath the debris, along with the place that had defined his life.
After being displaced to Deir el-Balah in central Gaza, Saad returned to the ruins despite the dangers, determined to recover as many books as possible.
"I found the house and the libraries destroyed, and the bombing was still ongoing. I tried to remove the rubble to retrieve the books," he recalled.
Risking his life to save books
