Palestinians visit the Samir Mansour library in Gaza City, on April 14, 2022. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)
"Having such a library rich in books is a treasure for the community," said a Palestinian university student who visited the Samir Mansour's library in Gaza City, which was rebuilt after destruction by Israeli bombing in 2021.
GAZA, April 14 (Xinhua) -- Suad al-Mranikh spends at least two hours a week in Samir Mansour's library in Gaza City, which was reopened in February after being destroyed during an Israeli bombing in May 2021.
"When I come here, I feel like I am in another world ... a world full of stories and experiences," the 19-year-old university student told Xinhua.
"We live in a besieged area, few of us can travel abroad and learn about different cultures," she said. "Having such a library rich in books is a treasure for the community, as it gives people the ability to learn about the facts and lives that are not close to them," she added.
A Palestinian boy reads a book at the Samir Mansour library in Gaza City, on April 14, 2022. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)
Previously, al-Mranikh used to read novels and stories on her mobile phone, but the experience in a library is completely different. "The books have their beauty and their own being," said the girl.
The library, established more than two decades ago, is one of the first libraries in the Gaza strip, said Shireen Al-Okka, the library's public relations official.
After it was destroyed, Palestinian and foreign activists carried out a campaign on social media, and managed to raise about 250,000 U.S. dollars and more than 100,000 books that were transferred through the Kerem Shalom crossing to the Palestinian enclave.
A Palestinian girl visits the Samir Mansour library in Gaza City, on April 14, 2022. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)
The newly-built library, spread over two floors, covers an area of 1,000 square meters and contains about 400,000 books.
"Fortunately, we have a cultured and conscious society that loves to read," Al-Okka said, adding that "there is a diversity in the tastes of readers in Gaza."
"Recently there is a demand for books specialized in marketing, in addition to exciting stories such as the Harry Potter series, which are the love for many young people," she said.
Two Palestinian boys read a book together at the Samir Mansour library in Gaza City, on April 14, 2022. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)
Akaber Juma'a, a mother of four, likes to bring her children to the library, encouraging them to read instead of playing with mobile phones.
"We need to have such a library to enhance the cultural aspect of our children so that they are able to interact with others in society and not trapped in electronic games," Juma'a said. ■
