A Hard Rain Over Palestine: Understanding the Arab-Israeli Conflict

Two years of Israeli attacks have killed at least 67,000 Palestinians, with thousands more still buried under the rubble. This event offers a vital space to confront the roots of what is increasingly being recognised as a genocide.

Join author Jamie Wrenn for the launch of A Hard Rain Over Palestine, a novel set during Israel’s 2014 assault on Gaza — a pivotal moment in a decades-long history of occupation, resistance, and international silence. Through the story of Dan Small, a British-Algerian journalist who crosses into Gaza to report the truth, the book connects historical reality with fiction to explore the human cost of a conflict the world continues to sideline.

We are also joined by Yousef D. Hammash is an award-winning Palestinian filmmaker and journalist from the Jabalia Refugee Camp in northern Gaza. Known for his powerful, human-centred reporting, he has worked with Channel 4 News and international broadcasters, producing widely acclaimed coverage from conflict zones. Drawing on his first-hand experience working in Gaza, Hammash will reflect on the challenges of reporting whilst under attack, offering an essential perspective that mirrors the realities portrayed in the novel.

Together, Wrenn and Hammash will shed light on the real history behind the story — from the roots of the occupation to the way media shapes what the world sees, ignores, or suppresses. This session invites readers to engage thoughtfully with both the past and the present.

The event will be followed by an audience Q&A and book signing.

This event is part of the Muslim LitFest. Find the full programme here: tickettailor.com/events/muslimlitfest25