At the beginning of the Sheikh Jarrah events in 2021, I was following the news about what was happening in the neighborhood and decided to go there to document the events as a photographer. I named the project “Ghareeb”(Stranger), aiming to capture the reality on the ground.

I faced several challenges during the documentation process, as I didn’t have an official permit as a photographer working with a press agency. This prevented me from entering the neighborhood in the usual way. Instead, I had to enter like any individual coming to support the residents through peaceful demonstrations. The only way to access the area was via the rooftops of buildings at the back of the neighborhood due to the restrictions on regular entry.

While there, I focused on documenting the everyday details of life in the neighborhood, the demonstrations, and how people interacted with the events. My camera was my tool to quietly and simply document the scene, presenting a clear image of the reality faced by the neighborhood and its residents.

My project, “Ghareeb,” was a step toward documenting this significant moment in Sheikh Jarrah’s history in a straightforward and uncomplicated way.