Resistance and resilience: Artists honor Palestinians facing horrors of Israel’s Gaza genocide

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) – Like their counterparts around the world, artists in Pakistan are using their mediums to express solidarity with Palestinians suffering through Israel’s ongoing genocide in the Gaza Strip.

Works by young artists Ahsan Shahid and Annem Zaidi, along with veteran illustrator Ali Shah, honor the bravery and resilience of Palestinians – from mothers protecting their children to women who epitomize the spirit of resistance.

Shahid, who is based in the commercial hub of Karachi, told Anadolu that his main aim was to highlight the “steadfastness of Gaza’s mothers in the face of one of the most brutal aggressions in history.”

His painting, titled Gaza, shows the massive destruction caused by Israel’s devastating assault, which has now killed or wounded nearly 146,000 Palestinians and has led to Israel facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice.

In the foreground, a mother is shown trying to protect her kid, a mix of distress and defiance visible in her eyes.

“The painting mainly depicts the continued torment being faced by Gaza’s mothers, who are trying to somehow save their kids,” Shahid told Anadolu.

- ‘Struggles and resistance’

Zaidi used a glazing technique, layering translucent paints to build depth and vibrancy in her works, which shed light on decades of the Palestinian struggle.

Her painting, titled Piece de Resistance, was Zaidi’s way of honoring the Palestinian spirit and make them feel seen at a time when they have been abandoned by the international community.

It shows a faceless woman standing in a large white silhouette in sharp contrast to the black canvas, with a keffiyeh around her neck and her head resting on her arm.

“My art has always been a reflection of my perspectives on subjects that are close to my heart. The situation in Palestine deeply saddens me, and it pushed me to use my platform to shed light on the struggles and resilience of its people through the universal language of art,” Zaidi, a Kuwait-born artist, told Anadolu.

Another illustration, titled Ruh ul Ruh, highlights the “crucial” role of women in Palestinians’ struggle for freedom.

“It centers around women (in Gaza) and delves into the complexities of human emotions and societal challenges,” Zaidi explained.

- ‘Flag of struggle’

Shah, a Karachi-based illustrator, used his works to put the spotlight on the spirit of Palestinian women and children.

His painting, titled Flag of Struggle, portrays children carrying the Palestinian flag with a masked woman, whom he described as a “mother” protecting the kids.

“Israeli forces are deliberating targeting children in Gaza because they know they will carry the flag of struggle and freedom in the years to come,” he told Anadolu.

With another piece, titled Resistance, Shah said he wanted to show the “unimaginable” extent of destruction that Israel has caused in Gaza.

All of this is aimed at expelling Palestinians from their lands, but the “men of Gaza have decided to die on their feet instead of living on their knees,” said the artist.

Israeli forces have “have blown up their homes, destroyed hospitals, mosques, churches and orchards, but they have failed to suppress the spirit of the people of Gaza, especially its women and children,” he added.