Bijanibiha is a long term project started in 2012 on women’s Palestinian resistance into the Gaza Strip.
Bijanibiha in Arabic means “by her side”.
This is a work by a male photojournalist documenting the conditions of the women into the Gaza Strip in times of change in the political game of the parties in the Palestinian Israeli matter. A resistance that from the front line has pervaded into the social fabric and that is now part of the everyday life, to fight back social annihilation and protect their dignity.
- Gaza City. The Ladies of Hamas Movement are sitting during a memorial event for Al Qassam martyr. Between them probably some relative of the martyr.
- Gaza Strip, At my first meeting with a leading Al-Fatah fighter, he told me: “Before I allow you to begin your work with me and my men, inside our homes, meeting our wives and daughters, eating with our families, you must know one thing: I have only one child, a daughter. I would do everything for her, I would die now if she needs it. But you must understand that I love my country so much that I could give her for the freedom of Palestine”. © Gianluca Panella
- Young girls are protesting at Malaka border in front of the fence, trowing rocks as symbol of intifada during the Great March of Return to protest against the siege. Very often, women are not allowed to go to the border for the demonstrations, because if they get injured, they could not do housework. Some women pointed out that a girl or young woman with a serious injury may find their chances of marrying impaired.
- A young woman is protesting throwing rocks near the border with Israel, as symbol of intifada during the Great March of Return to protest against the siege. Very often, women are not allowed to go to the border for the demonstrations, because if they get injured, they could not do housework. Some women pointed out that a girl or young woman with a serious injury may find their chances of marrying impaired.
- Khaniunis, south of Gaza. A girl is taking a selfie on the street with PFLP fighters on the background, that are marching for the funeral of a victim shot by IDF on the border during the protest for The Great March of Return against the siege.
- The sister of an Al Fatah leader smiles, showing how good she is with weapons, not only with children.
- Ektmal Hamd, responsable manager for the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees for The Great March of Return, is posing holding a Kofia in her living room. She is not married and she doesn’t have children that’s very rare between palestinian women.
- Ektmal Hamd, responsable manager for the Union of Palestinian women’s committees is having lunch with her family. The whole family giggled at the question regarding her husband, as she has never been married and she has no children, which is very rare for palestinian women. © Gianluca Panella
- In occasion of the 70th Anniversary of the State of Israel, called Nakba (catastrophe) by Palestinians, Ektmal Hamd, responsable manager for the Union of Palestinian women’s committees, is seen on the Malaka border with Israel during the protests of The Great March of Return. That day, according to the Ministry of Health, 58 Palestinians were killed including 6 children and one health worker, and 2,771 injured after the use of live ammunition, rubber bullets and tear gas by Israeli forces targeting demonstrators. Of those hospitalised, 1,359 suffered gunshot wounds. A further three fatalities were subsequently reported.
- South Gaza. A woman is seen sitting in front of the border with israel during the protests for The Great March of Return.
- A young woman seems shot by israleli forces near the border of Malaka. According with OCHA of Occupied Palestinian Territory, several participants reported that they refrained from receiving medical treatment during a demonstration to avoid possible tension with their husbands. Very often, women are not allowed to go to the border for the demonstrations, because if they get injured, they could not do housework. Some women pointed out that a girl or young woman with a serious injury may find their chances of marrying impaired.
- Women are supporting the daughter of Jaber Abu Mustafa, killed by IDF forces on the border with Israel during the protests of The Great March of Return at his family house.
- Gaza City, Al shifa Hospital’s morgue, little girl and her brother died in a bombing. © Gianluca Panella
- Beit Hanoun, a girl has a breakdown after reaching the Beit Hanoun Hospital, following the UNRWA school, where refugees had found protection from the continuous bombing in the Beit Hanoun area. The hospital would be bombed after few days this photograph was taken. © Gianluca Panella
- Women supporting the mother of Jaber Abu Mustafa, killed by IDF forces on the border with Israel during the protests of The Great March of Return at his family house while they are waiting for the body.
- Gaza City, Al-Shati Beach Refugee Camp. Abu Naium’s wife, Naima, cooks sardines in their family home with her nephew. In Abu Naim’s family are fishermen since generations. Naima and Abu Naim leaves with their six sons and their families; there are thirty people to feed.
- Gaza Valley, December 2015. This Woman’s husband has been incarcerated by Hamas beaqcuse belonging to the rival Fatah movement. Her family has received no aid during the floods, which have been declared the most severe of the last 25 years. Yhe lack of electricity and the absence of glass window in her house forced her to live for days in the darkness even during the daytime because all the apertures were blocked with planks to not let the rain come inside. *** Gaza Valley, il marito di questa donna è stato incarcerato da Hamas, la sua famiglia non ha ricevuto nessun aiuto durante gli allagamenti che si sono rivelati i più duri negli ultimi 25 anni, perché dalla parte del movimento di Fatah.
- Woman shrouds her friend to be unrecognizable by israeli snipers during the protests for The Great March of Return near the border with Israel in Estarn Gaza.
- In an undisclosed headquarters of DFLP, a member is preparing the uniform of his sister: one the few women fighters. She explained that she loves her country and her people so much that of course she would sacrifice herself for the freedom of her brothers and her occupied land. © Gianluca Panella
- From left to right: coordinator Tagreed Daroesh Field, deputy amministrator union Soher Kader and project coordinator Neeven Elkafarna are talking about the lack of human rights near the border during the protests for The Great March of Return in the Union of Palestinan Commintees office.
- A young woman is taking care of her husband injured to a leg by an IDF sniper on the border with Israel during the protest for The Great March of Return against the siege.
- Beit Hanoun, this little boy was in January 2014 is the first child born with artificial insemination into the Gaza Strip. His father Tamer was arrested by Israely forces because he was an Islamic Jihad’s fighter. Tamer Al Zanin smuggled the sperm out of the israeli prison. This is cvonsidered another form of resistence to the occupation.: despite couples are divided, young palestinians can born anyway.
- Gaza City, Katiba Square. Shireen Abu Oun speaks to the crowd. “Unity, Resistance, Liberation”, with this slogan FPLP commemorated their 46 anniversary.
- A little girllooks with admiration and respect Ezedine Al Qassam fighters leaving a press conference held by the Hamas armed wing. The message addressed to Israel consisted in a warning concerning the borders opening, in order to allow the free passage and the aperture of the sea boundaries in front of the city at the cost of interrupting the truce.
- Gaza City, the first day at school after the war of the Israeli “Operation Pillar of Defence”. Gaza, il primo giorno di scuola dopo la guerra. © Gianluca Panella
