Refaat Alareer, a son of Shijaiyeh in Gaza, gained an MA in English Literature from University College, London, and a PhD from the University of Malaya. He was a beloved professor of English literature and literature in English at the Islamic University of Gaza and a leader in the We Are Not Numbers educational organization. In December 2023 the Israeli military killed him in a targeted operation, leaving behind his wife and six children, one of whom was also killed in early 2024 along with her newborn child.

Ali Abunimah, a Palestinian American leader in the campaign for Palestinian rights, is the founding director of the Electronic Intifada website and the author of One Country: A Bold Proposal to End the Israeli-Palestinian Impasse. He gained his BA from Princeton University and an MA from the University of Chicago. His commentaries have been widely published on many platforms.