March 18, 2025
P.A.P.A. mourns the unbearable loss of artist Durgham Qreiqea, who was martyred along with his family in an Israeli airstrike on their home in Al-Shuja’iya, Gaza.
Durgham was more than an artist—he was a beacon of hope, a soul who believed in the power of creativity to heal, to resist, to bring light even in the darkest times. He dedicated himself to bringing joy to children who knew nothing but war. He gave them stories, colors, and dreams—only to have his own life stolen in an instant.
How is this fair? How many more voices will be silenced? How many more artists, dreamers, and storytellers must be erased before the world says enough?
Durgham, you deserved a life filled with art, not an ending filled with pyre. You deserved to keep creating, to keep inspiring, to grow old with your dreams. Instead, you are gone. And Gaza is left with yet another wound that will never heal.
Rest in peace, Durgham. Your light will never fade. Your absence is unbearable.
“But as it is said: “Hope is not killed except by the death of the soul”, and art is my soul that will not die.”
-Durgham Qreaiqea.
