Archiving Palestinian Instagram

A collection of videos and posts from regular Palestinians who have been documenting their daily lives since October 7, 2023.

[watermelllonarchive]

Hi, this is an account to collect and share videos from regular people living in Palestine who are documenting their lives since 7 October, 2023. I will be collecting videos from Instagram and sharing a little about the person behind the account if I can. Videos can disappear from social media. My goal with this account to help back up and share these stories.

Disclaimer: despite my username, this is technically not an archive as it doesn't meet professional digital archival standards. It's a collection. I am using archive informally. I am not a trained archivist, but I am a historian.

Please be respectful of the people in these videos. Please do not interact if you are going to belittle, be hateful, or speak ill of this content. Instead, log off and go hydrate or nap or something.

Finally, a content warning: while I won't be sharing graphic content or violent images, these videos may show people in emotional distress.

[watermelllonarchive]

General resources post HERE

A list of fundraisers for accounts shared on this blog can be found HERE

[watermelllonarchive]

As explained in the CNN clip above, Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya has been imprisoned and tortured by Israel since 2024 and his lawyers report he is in critical condition. One of Palestine's leading pediatricians, Dr. Abu Safiya was taken by Israeli forces during the seige of Kamal Adwan hospital. The state accuses Dr. Abu Saifya of being a Hamas asset despite little evidence and no conviction.

The Instagram account shachaf_10000 has compiled petitions and action items you can take to demand the release of Dr Hussam Abu Safiya:

https://secure.avaaz.org/campaign/en/free_dr_abu_safiya_loc_al_en/?copy&utm_source=copy&utm_medium=social_share&utm_campaign=56264&share_location=campaign_page

https://forms.gle/Un4V1xm2JHRoqun3A

To call for the release of All Palestinian Hostages and Detainees Held Without Trial:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScHzJT4TXASzWyZjkhZdr-rbyGIFEsIPFktGwLkThlEG_I-5w/viewform?fbzx=-7157471010899790976&sfnsn=wa

https://secure.avaaz.org/community_petitions/en/un_member_states_and_signatories_to_the_un_convent_release_all_palestinian_hostages_and_detainees_held_without_trial/

[watermelllonarchive]

As explained in the CNN clip above, Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya has been imprisoned and tortured by Israel since 2024 and his lawyers report he is in critical condition. One of Palestine's leading pediatricians, Dr. Abu Safiya was taken by Israeli forces during the seige of Kamal Adwan hospital. The state accuses Dr. Abu Saifya of being a Hamas asset despite little evidence and no conviction.

The Instagram account shachaf_10000 has compiled petitions and action items you can take to demand the release of Dr Hussam Abu Safiya:

https://secure.avaaz.org/campaign/en/free_dr_abu_safiya_loc_al_en/?copy&utm_source=copy&utm_medium=social_share&utm_campaign=56264&share_location=campaign_page

https://forms.gle/Un4V1xm2JHRoqun3A

To call for the release of All Palestinian Hostages and Detainees Held Without Trial:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScHzJT4TXASzWyZjkhZdr-rbyGIFEsIPFktGwLkThlEG_I-5w/viewform?fbzx=-7157471010899790976&sfnsn=wa

https://secure.avaaz.org/community_petitions/en/un_member_states_and_signatories_to_the_un_convent_release_all_palestinian_hostages_and_detainees_held_without_trial/

[watermelllonarchive]

Sondos, a young woman in Gaza, shared some of her favorite decor details from her tent in this May 31, 2026 post. As Sondos explains, she has always taken pride in her home and the tent is no exception.

Sondos is on Instagram @ sondos_alnerab.

[watermelllonarchive]

A happy update from Nisreen Shehada, whose videos inspired the creation of this little blog. In June, Nisreen graduated with her Masters Degree from Imperial College London! In this video she reflects on the last 3 years which brought her to this point.

Nisreen is on Instagram and TikTok @ nisreendiary

[watermelllonarchive]

On July 3, 2026 crowds in Gaza gathered to watch the World Cup match between Egypt and Australia. With the long history between Palestine and Egypt, and with many Gaza residents displaced to Egypt, fans rooted for their North African neighbors and celebrated their victory. Ahmed Younis captured the celebration in these photos.

Ahmed is on Instagram @ ahmed.ys3

[watermelllonarchive]

It's been 1000 days now since the October 7 2023 attacks and the start of the current war in Palestine. Throughout this conflict, Ahmed Younis has been documenting life in Gaza. He has captured moments of mass tragedy as well as the small moments of joy and hope. In this July 2, 2026 post he reflects on his photography over the last almost 3 years.

Ahmed Younis is on Instagram @ ahmed.ys3

[watermelllonarchive]

On Feb 9, 2026, Nisreen Shehada reflected on the cover of DtMF and how something as simple as plastic chairs ties people together across nations and generations.

Nisreen is on Instagram and Tiktok @ nisreendiary.

Available Go Fund Me campaigns for people whose stories have been shared on watermelllonarchive can be found in the resources post.

[watermelllonarchive]

In this November 30, 2025 post, Mohd shares his anxieties about falling behind in life after over 2 years in survival mode. In his caption he laments "I should've been in my 3rd year of uni by now bro 😭🙏🏽."

A long term impact of genocide is the loss of educational opportunities. In Mohd's case, his time at university had just begun when October 7 happened. Though a ceasefire is in place, the educational system in Gaza is struggling.

After Two Years of War: Gaza’s Education System on the Brink of Collapse

Gaza’s Education System on the Brink of Collapse

For working adults, careers before the war have disappeared as the nation's infrastructure and economy lays in litteral ruins. Recovery is not immediate.

Mohd is on Instagram @ Gym_Rat_In_Gaza

Available Go Fund Me campaigns for people whose stories have been shared on watermelllonarchive can be found in the resources post.

[watermelllonarchive]

Some scenes from Gaza this Christmas season, via Ahmed Younis (IG: ahmed.ys3)

Ahmed posted the above video on December 15, 2025. In it, two small children and a toy reindeer lay in their tent and watch the cold winter rain fall on the camp around them.

These photos are from a Christmas service on December 24, 2025.

Ahmed is on Instagram @ ahmed.ys3.

[watermelllonarchive]

As shared in a previous post, Omar Hamad has been saving books in Gaza during the war. On October 1 and 2, he showed his latest library setup.

On October 2 he shared the completed shelf.

Omar is on Instagram @ omar.hamad7. He has a Chuffed

Available Go Fund Me campaigns for people whose stories have been shared on watermelllonarchive can be found in the resources post.

[watermelllonarchive]

Video description:

The song playing throughout the video is "The Hanging Tree" from The Hunger Games movie soundtrack. All footage is sped up time-lapse.

In the opening shots, Omar, two men, and two young boys carry stacks of books through the camps to the new tent. The caption says

For two full year s of genocide and from one displacement to another l have preserved my library

The group arrives to the tent and set the books down by a makeshift bookshelf. The caption continues:

...which contains many novels in English, French, Spanish, and Arabic, as well as Islamic books, books on Western, Arab, and Greek civilizations, documents of the First and Second Palestinian Intifadas, and scientific books in physics, chemistry, and more.

Omar inspects each book and adds it to the shelf. This is a lengthy process and the captions continue through:

I have been displaced more than ten times, and today I was able to set up my library inside my tent.

It was never easy to preserve it: I risked my life many times, and with every displacement, I chose it over anything else.

I hope this will be the last displacement, although I do not have high hopes for that

The video concludes as Omar continues to fill the shelf:

The writer Omar Hamad is from the town of Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza andis now displaced in the city of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza.

End of video

[watermelllonarchive]

As shared in a previous post, Omar Hamad has been saving books in Gaza during the war. On October 1 and 2, he showed his latest library setup.

On October 2 he shared the completed shelf.

Omar is on Instagram @ omar.hamad7. He has a Chuffed

Available Go Fund Me campaigns for people whose stories have been shared on watermelllonarchive can be found in the resources post.

[watermelllonarchive]

@ Hlawichan shared what her exam prep looks like, two years into the war.

Hlawichan is on Instagram, threads, and tiktok @ hlawichan. There is not currently a fundraiser linked to her page.

Available Go Fund Me campaigns for people whose stories have been shared on watermelllonarchive can be found in the resources post.

[watermelllonarchive]

In this October 1 video, Mohammed talks about the Global Sumud Flotilla and makss craft boats with children in the camp.

Mohamed Al Khalidi is on YouTube as Mohamed_k l and on Instagram @ m7md_vo. He is raising money on Chuffed

Available Go Fund Me campaigns for people whose stories have been shared on watermelllonarchive can be found in the resources post.

[watermelllonarchive]

On September 30, 2025 Yahia Barzad, a photographer from Gaza, posted these videos to his Instagram stories. Shortly after posting, he, his wife, and their toddler daugher Lara were killed in an airstrike.

The caption of the first video is "I made a window. Creative work 👌" and the second video caption is "my window before displacement."

Nisreen Shehada shared the news of her friend's passing to her Instagram. Before the war, he did photoshoots for babies and newborns. During the war, he used his camera to document life as a photo journalist.

You can view his work on his Instagram @ yahiabarzaqstudio

Available Go Fund Me campaigns for people whose stories have been shared on watermelllonarchive can be found in the resources post.

[watermelllonarchive]

hlawichan is a teen blogger Gaza. In her September 23, 2025 post she shared what her life has been like recently as she and her family were displaced from Gaza City.

Hlawichan is on Instagram, threads, and tiktok @ hlawichan.

Available Go Fund Me campaigns for people whose stories have been shared on watermelllonarchive can be found in the resources post.

[watermelllonarchive]

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.

[watermelllonarchive]

@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.