Tula Goenka

Mosab Abu Toha - essayist, poet - has been kidnapped by Israeli army in Gaza as he was fleeing with his family.

“The blazing sun has overwhelmed our rotting bodies.” —Palestinian poet Mosab Abu Toha

The Palestinian Gazan essayist and poet, Mosab Abu Toha, was kidnapped by the Israeli army while fleeing to southern Gaza. Last month, he was in the USA on a tour. He has been recognized with several awards, including the Palestine Book Award 2022. He also received the Arrowsmith Press Award, was a finalist for the American Book Award 2022, and a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. Additionally, he received the Before Columbus American Award.

The poet Mosab Abu Toha, winner of the Palestine Book Award and founder of the Edward Said Library in Gaza, has reportedly been detained by the Israel Defense Forces. In May we published his poem “What a Gazan Should Do During an Israeli Air Strike.” go.nybooks.com/3KUC5hQ

David Remnick also writes about Mosab in a recent Letter from Israel. "In the Cities of Killing." newyorker.com/magazine/2023/…

"Obit" newyorker.com/magazine/2023/…

"The Agony of Waiting for a Ceasefire that Never Comes" newyorker.com/news/essay/the…

"The View from My Window in Gaza" newyorker.com/news/the-weeke…

David Remnick sent a note to staff this morning abt the worrisome news on Mosab Abu Toa, the Palestinian poet and essayist from Gaza, whose work we have been publishing. We had lost touch w/ him and learned he was arrested in central Gaza. Here's a thread of his @newyorker work.

A thread of Palestinian poet Mosab Abu Toha’s work in The New Yorker & they won’t even name who arrested him. US media has been filled w/this: leeching off of the work of Gazan creatives, journalists, fixers, photogs while dehumanizing them &refusing to name who is killing them

Eyes swelling with tears hearing news that poet and founder of the Edward Said library Mosab Abu Toha has been captured by the IDF when evacuating with his young family. He must be freed.

Reports suggest Palestinian poet Mosab Abu Toha has been kidnapped by Israeli forces. lithub.com/reports-sugges…

Celebrated author and poet Mosab Abu Toha has been kidnapped by the Israeli army in Gaza as he was fleeing with his family, Dianna Buttu reports. We demand his immediate release and the release of his wife and children.

Israeli forces KIDNAPPED my friend, the award-winning brilliant poet from Gaza, Mosab Abu Toha (@MosabAbuToha). His brother says Mosab and his young family were evacuating to the south as they have been asked by @StateDept to head to the Rafah Crossing to evacuate because Mosab's youngest son, Mostafa who is 3.5 years old, is a U.S. citizen. As they approached a checkpoint heading toward the south, Israeli soldiers snatched Mosab from his family and no one has heard anything about him since. Just two months ago, Mosab and I were talking about literature at a cafe in Philadelphia. I cannot fathom this. He showed me pictures of his adorable children. Mostafa always makes silly poses for the camera. I implore Massachusetts representatives to DO SOMETHING. Mostafa was born in Boston, bring his father, back. Bring Mosab back! @SenWarren @SenMarkey @AyannaPressley @RepMcGovern @sethmoulton. For U.S. citizens, call your representatives NOW! For Mosab and all Palestinians in Gaza.

‘The earth shakes, and I fall out of bed’ - by Mosab Abu Toha, the poet and essayist kidnapped today. We should all be reading his words. From his collection, ‘Things You May Find Hidden in My Ear’

A poem by Mosab Abu Toha, who we heard today has been kidnapped and held hostage by the IOF while attempting to flee with his family. we call for his immediate release and the release of all Palestinian political prisoners