...GAZA CITY, PALESTINE - MAY 31, 2025: Visually impaired artists in Gaza City defied the darkness of war with a vibrant exhibition held on Saturday, May 31, showcasing hope, resistance, and national pride through handcrafted art pieces. Titled “Art for All,” the exhibition featured works by 30 artists, 15 of whom are visually impaired. Artists used colorful threads, stones, fabrics, and beads to create mosaics and paintings. Held in a small venue, the exhibit prominently displayed national symbols such as Al-Aqsa Mosque, Dome of the Rock, the map of Palestine, and the Palestinian flag. Themes of freedom and resilience were conveyed through birds, olive branches, and bold colors contrasting with the war's grim reality. Despite the ongoing blockade and humanitarian catastrophe, the artists used their work to assert their connection to life and homeland. Ten-year-old Mis Heniyye, one of the visually impaired participants, presented a stitched map of Palestine and a tree adorned with colorful beads to symbolize the Palestinian people’s longing for joy and freedom. Another artist, Hitam Bedran, contributed a heart-shaped beaded piece and a mosaic of a bird perched on an olive branch which represents the yearning for freedom among Palestinian prisoners. She emphasized her use of vibrant colors like pink and blue to counter the "darkness of war." Exhibition coordinator and Mis Heniyye’s mother Gadir Hamide said the initiative gave space for disabled artists long overlooked in Gaza’s cultural sphere. “While red and black often symbolize war here, we chose colors of hope and life,” she said. Fellow coordinator and participant Bassame Al-Jarrah highlighted the collaborative nature of the event, bridging sighted and visually impaired individuals through shared artistic creation. She noted that reaching the venue amid Israeli attacks was a challenge, but their determination overcame such obstacles. Israel has pursued a devastating offensive in Gaza since October 2023, killing over 54,300 Palestinians, most of them women and children. Aid agencies have warned about the risk of famine among the enclave's more than 2 million population. Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war crimes against civilians in the enclave. Writing by Aleyna Cil