Books are in short supply in Gaza right now. Omar has been saving books during the war and taking him with them through multiple displacements. He shared his packing and transport on September 6, 2025.
Omar is on Instagram @ omar.hamad7. He has a Chuffed fundraiser as well.
Available Go Fund Me campaigns for people whose stories have been shared on watermelllonarchive can be found in the resources post.
@ferretly --and anyone else looking for a transcription/description of the video-- I've transcribed the video below. Let me know if you have any feedback, this is my first time adding video description. :)
Omar stands in front of a bookshelf in a tent. His left hand is bandaged. He speaks to the camera:
"I have been preserving these books since the beginning of the genocide."
Time lapse footage of him putting the books into a duffel bag. The video slows to regular speed and he continues:
"...and I saved many books from the libraries that were burned by the occupation."
Time lapse footage of Omar packing the books resumes. In the upper left hand corner are photos of him transporting books in a wagon and receiving a stack of books from friends. The video slows again to real time speed as he picks up a second duffel bag:
"I have displaced these books with me more than 10 times."
Time lapse continues for a few seconds. By now he is half way down the shelf. The video goes back to real time speed and Omar, crouching to pack books, speaks to the camera:
"I started buying and reading books when I was a child, and I discovered that this occupation monitors the Palestinian scientific curriculum in our schools."
Time lapse of packing continues. He is now on his third duffel bag:
"Today is the 11th displacement. I will secure those books first at my friend's place in southern Gaza, and then I will go back to look for a place for my tent."
Time lapse resumes and he finishes packing. Cut to Omar, tired with a weary smile, sitting on the duffel bags of books. He waves with his bandaged left hand. Cut to Omar shouldering one of the bags to carry away. It is clearly very heavy. The duffel bags strain under the weight of the books.
Video ends.
