Fathi Ghaben’s life
Fathi Ghaben’s life was shaped by displacement, struggle, and an unbreakable commitment to his homeland. Born in 1947 in Harbia, a village in northeast Gaza, he was just a child when the Nakba uprooted his family, forcing them—along with 750,000 other Palestinians—into exile. They found refuge in Gaza, settling in the Jabalia refugee camp, where Ghaben spent most of his life.
From an early age, survival meant sacrifice. At just 15, he left school to help support his family, selling newspapers and using his artistic talents to create children’s stories. Despite the hardship, he remembered those years as ones of dignity, before the 1967 war and the full force of Israeli occupation changed life forever.
Through two Intifadas, Ghaben struggled to make a living. He initially worked in Israel but later turned to painting full-time as his talent gained recognition. Even then, his work was never about financial gain. He believed that art should serve a greater purpose—it should document history, preserve culture, and resist erasure.
His paintings evolved over time, shifting from commercial pieces to deeply personal depictions of Palestinian suffering and resilience. His canvases reflected the pain of displacement, the weight of oppression, and the enduring strength of his people. Yet, like many artists in Gaza, he faced immense challenges. Under siege and living in poverty, he often struggled to afford paint and materials.
Beyond his own work, Ghaben dedicated himself to nurturing the next generation. He taught at the Al Naser Islamic School for over a decade, gave private art lessons, and later became an advisor at the Ministry of Culture. His contributions to Palestinian art were widely recognized—he received the Order of Culture, Science, and Arts, as well as international honors like the Order of Hiroshima and the Order of the World Federation of Societies in Tokyo.
But recognition did not shield him from persecution. His art was seen as an act of resistance, and for that, he was arrested multiple times. Israeli authorities accused him of incitement, often without evidence. Even in prison, his spirit remained unshaken. His arrest during the Second Intifada led to protests from both Palestinian and Israeli activists, demanding artistic freedom.
Despite his reputation, Gaza’s blockade meant that many of his larger works could never leave the territory. And when his health deteriorated, the same restrictions cost him his life. Denied medical treatment abroad, he passed away on February 25, four months into Israel’s ongoing offensive, which has claimed the lives of tens of thousands of civilians.
Fathi Ghaben dedicated his life to ensuring that Palestinian art would never be silenced. His paintings were not meant to please or entertain; they were meant to tell the truth, to capture the reality of a people fighting for their existence.
“I never created art for myself,” he once said. “My paintings reflect my soul—the passion, the pain, and the struggle of my people.”
Though he is gone, his legacy lives on. His work remains a testament to the power of art as resistance, a beacon of Palestinian identity, and a reminder that history must never be erased.