Kayed Hammad, interpreter and fixer in Gaza: "We documented daily life, hunger, the attacks; we couldn't stop the work we were doing"

Twenty-two years interpreting and documenting Gaza
In 2003, after losing his home, his job and his car, Hammad decided to leave his electronics repair shop and dedicate himself to working as an interpreter and fixer. Kayed Hammad's work in the Gaza Strip consisted of processing permits, locating political and military sources, and accompanying correspondents in their coverage of the conflict, ultimately making the work of journalists and NGO staff possible in an area of ​​armed conflict. 

Thanks to his essential role, the documentary “Dreams Behind the wall” was produced, directed by Elena Herrero in 2015 and which narrates life in Palestine from the perspective of two children. He also was awarded the Valores Humanos José Couso & Julio A. Parrado Award by the Fuentes International Film Festival, for his career as an activist and communicator committed to human rights.

The situation changed on 7 October 2023, when Israel prevented the entry of international journalists, leaving Hammad and other local professionals as the only ones able to document the events. Hammad worked as a cameraman, producer and reporter, recording the reality of the Gaza Strip under extreme violence.

The film producer shared the profound impact that the war has had on his life. Last year, he lost one of his sons in a bombing. After months of procedures, he managed to evacuate the Gaza area with his family.

The Gaza Menu
In the conference, Hammad explained how the Menú de Gaza project came about. Before being able to go into exile, he shared photographs of the dishes he made during the war with journalist Mikel Ayestaran. Ayestaran posted these images on his profile, and they quickly went viral: “People were waiting for these photos as signs of life; if we didn’t upload anything, they thought something had happened to us,” Hammad said.

The book Menú de Gaza, which is on pre-sale, compiles these simple recipes, reflecting the difficulties of the population in accessing basic food: “we showed the harshness of the war but not with images of blood and destruction”. On many occasions, Hammad and his family had to resort to products intended for animals, such as feed. The quantities were very limited and only one dish had to be enough for the whole family. In addition, the prices were extremely high: a kilo of rice could cost up to 150 euros.

A message of hope
Despite everything he has experienced, Hammad made it clear that he continues to hope to see a free Palestine again: “Freedom is priceless. If a human being gives up on it and loses hope, he ceases to be human”. He also highlighted the importance of the protests in countries such as Spain and Ireland that have defended human rights in Palestine and strongly denounced the genocide.

The conference was organised by the Faculty of Translation and Interpreting of the UAB and the Fundació Autònoma Solidària, with the support of the Barcelona City Council.