I met Mahmoud in Cairo.

It is where he had evacuated with his family from Gaza, literally leaving his whole life behind. Not only behind, but destroyed — including all the equipment he had.

It was the equipment of his media company, Batrawi Media, that he had established back in 2009.

Everything he had built over 15 years was destroyed at the beginning of Israel’s genocidal war in 2023.

Not to speak for Mahmoud, I want to let him tell you his story. You can find our full conversation here and a shorter version below.

Israel might have destroyed the equipment and other material resources needed for Mahmoud’s company to operate.

However, it didn’t destroy the things that no fire can burn: talent, skill, and determination.

Now, we call for you – the international community – to show your solidarity by investing in our initiative.

I invite you to support Mahmoud’s fundraiser aimed at funding new equipment, workspace rent, and the rehire of two team members based in Gaza.

Any amount helps, and spreading the word about our fundraiser is a great way to contribute, too.

Thank you all for contributing to this initiative in the ways that you can. I will pass your contributions to Mahmoud myself since I physically visit Cairo every several months.

Justina Poskeviciute and Mahmoud Batrawi

About Me

I am an independent political commentator and nonprofit professional from Lithuania, with a focus on anticolonial, feminist, antiwar, and climate-justice movements. My work is informed by a combination of my academic background in political science and my lived experience in the Global South, including in Palestine. You can find my work on my official website here.