Skip to content

Life of Redwan Halted in West Bank: "They Consume, They Eat, They Weep, They Consume, They Eat, They Bury"

Following the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, 'Le Monde M' magazine showcased the stories of two families caught in the crossfire: the Weissmanns from Israel and the Redwans from Palestine. With the onset of another 18 months of conflict, and the Gaza Strip under attack once more, we tracked...

Tacking the Tale of the Weissmann Residence

Life of Redwan Halted in West Bank: "They Consume, They Eat, They Weep, They Consume, They Eat, They Bury"

In the dimly lit kitchen, Reem Redwan nimbly flips qatayef, the traditional Levantine dessert that graces Ramadan evenings. The evening of March 29th finds the television set, its volume muted, playing an Arab soap opera in the adjacent lounge, signaling the beginning of family time after a day of fasting.

Her abode mirrors a shelter, spotless, adorned with impersonal furniture, and barren walls. Over the past three weeks, Reem, along with her 16-year-old daughter Sewar, have made this modest apartment in the heart of Ramallah, occupied Cisjordania, their temporary home.

This new dwelling serves as a transitory respite, a welcome improvement from their previous abode - a two-room shack devoid of comfort on the rooftop of a building on the outskirts of the city. Boundaries of Gaza, where Reem spent most of her life, share her fate with her close friends and kin who remained in the besieged territory - the constant itch of displacement and upheaval.

"My past is gone, along with any hope for the future. I'm merely existing in the present. In such situations, one attempts to find solace in what remains, but I hold empty hands. When I try to recollect the past, all I feel is pain," she expresses, as she douses the qatayef with a sweetened lemon solution.

Laughter as a Coping Mechanism

The subscriber-exclusive section follows...

In the absence of specific information about the Weissmann family, Reem Redwan, or her daughter Sewar living in Ramallah, occupied Cisjordania, it is challenging to provide detailed personal accounts. However, exploring the broader context of life in Ramallah may offer some insights:

Ramallah serves as a de facto administrative center for the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank (Cisjordania). Known for its dynamic culture and diverse community, the city's residents face challenges such as movement restrictions and economic obstacles due to the Israeli occupation, which adversely impacts their daily lives and economic stability.

To uncover more about individuals like Reem Redwan and her daughter, one may turn to local Palestinian media or social media platforms, provided they have gained public attention through their actions or stories.

For a better understanding of the current situation in Ramallah or the broader Palestinian context, feel free to ask questions, and I'll do my best to provide helpful insights.

  1. In the Weissmann Residence, Amidst the rhythmic sounds of cooking traditional desserts like qatayef, the interior design reflects a stark contrast, revealing the presence of a dispossessed family who have taken refuge in a modest apartment within the heart of Ramallah, Cisjordania.
  2. A mere three weeks have passed since Reem Redwan and her 16-year-old daughter, Sewar, made this temporary dwelling their home, a welcome improvement from their prior living conditions - a cramped rooftop shack on the outskirts of the city, sharing similar circumstances with family and friends still trapped in the besieged Gaza.
  3. Despite the challenging lifestyle, food and drink continues to play an essential role in the Weissmann family's daily routine, reminding them of home and garden, even in the midst of adjusting to new surroundings.
  4. During the evening of March 29th, as the aroma of qatayef filled the apartment, Reem finds solace in the process of cooking, her mind drifting back to the memories of a life before displacement, causing her to ponder on the past and her dreams for the future.
  5. Life in Ramallah, as in many parts of Cisjordania, is marked by economic obstacles and movement restrictions due to the ongoing Israeli occupation, making it difficult for residents to maintain a stable lifestyle and secure a future for their families.
  6. As Reem's culinary creations emerge from the oven, laughter between mother and daughter echoes through the interior, serving as both a testament to their resilience and a powerful coping mechanism to confront the challenges of their current situation.
In the aftermath of Hamas' terrorist assaults on October 8, 2023, 'M Le magazine du Monde' published poignant profiles of two war-stricken families-the Weissmanns (Israeli) and the Redwans (Palestinian). Already deep into an unending war, the bombing of Gaza Strip resurfaces, and we managed to locate them. Reem Redwan, a Palestinian, with one of her daughters, resides in Ramallah, isolated from their Gazan relatives, while the oldest child pursues education in a tranquil nation.
Amidst the chaos following Hamas's terrorist attacks on October 7, 2023, 'Le Monde' published articles on two families entangled in the ongoing conflict: the Weissmanns in Israel and the Redwans in Palestine. Seventeen long months into this seemingly endless war, with Gaza under repeated bombardment, we reconnected with these families. Reem Redwan and one of her daughters now reside in Ramallah, isolated from their kin in Gaza, while her eldest child pursues education in a tranquil foreign country.
In the aftermath of Hamas' terrorist attacks on October 7, 2023, 'Le Monde' magazine detailed the lives of two families entangled in the conflict: the Weissmanns, residing on the Israeli side, and the Redwans, from the Palestinian side. Seventeen and a half years into a seemingly everlasting war, as Gaza is once more under attack, we reconnected with them. Reem Redwan, a Palestinian woman, and one of her daughters now reside in Ramallah, separated from their family in Gaza, while the eldest daughter pursued education in a tranquil nation.

Read also:

    Latest