HOPE is the one thing
Israel cannot imprison.
— Marwan Barghouti
(imprisoned by Israel since 2002)
A Message Into Gaza
Palestinian-American economist and writer Anne Habiby had been documenting the remarkable rise of the Palestine National Team in the midst of a genocide. One player, Mohammed Balah was missing.
Anne found a phone number and sent Mohammed a text message, not knowing if he could answer.
A reply came back: "Thank you. We are in very bad conditions."
What followed was thousands of messages that would change both their lives.
DARING TO HOPE
Daring to Hope chronicles the war on Gaza through thousands of real-time messages between Palestinian football star Mohammed Balah and Palestinian American Anne Habiby.
Part war chronicle, part human story, and part sports narrative, it offers a rare ground-level portrait of life inside Gaza and the enduring strength of its people.
Profiled by the BBC and known as the "Ronaldo of Gaza," Mohammed Balah was named Best Player in Palestine in 2017/2018. He played professionally across the Arab world and represented Palestine on the national team. In 2023, he returned home to Gaza to marry the love of his life. Four months later, Israel attacked Gaza.
What began as a message became an extraordinary partnership between two strangers. Across months of bombardment, hunger, and displacement, Anne became a lifeline as Mohammed struggled to keep his family alive, never knowing if they would survive the night.
Through their messages, readers experience the war not through headlines, but through the eyes of a father, husband, and son protecting his family.
It is also the story of a friendship between a Palestinian Muslim man and a Palestinian Christian woman, living worlds apart, united by a love of their people.
Together, Anne and Mohammed created something neither intended: a living record of survival, friendship, and resilience. Their thousands of messages bear witness to what no bombs could destroy—the humanity of Gaza and the enduring spirit of Palestine.
We are honored to announce the publication of our booK
