Gaza: The Dream and the Nightmare

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Julie M. Norman (McGill University, Canada) Maia Carter Hallward (Kennesaw State University, GA, USA)

Gaza

The Dream and the Nightmare

Julie M. Norman (McGill University, Canada), Maia Carter Hallward (Kennesaw State University, GA, USA)

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Hardback

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English

Polity Press
24 October 2025

Politics & government

In this urgent and compelling book, Julie M. Norman and Maia Carter Hallward tell the story of Gaza from its early foundations, across decades of occupation, to the devastation of the ongoing war. Rather than focusing on elites or abstract politics, at the book's heart are ordinary Gazans - students, aid workers, journalists, and teachers - whose first-hand testimonies vividly illuminate the realities behind the headlines.

Refusing to sensationalize or oversimplify, the book reckons with the legal, moral, and humanitarian deabtes surrounding Gaza, from war crimes investigations to the contested meaning of resistance and the politicization of aid. Combining a nuanced narrative with hard-hitting reflections from everyday Gazans, the book serves as a timely and necessary disruption of media cliches and political binaries, and from the perspectives of its own people.

By: Julie M. Norman (McGill University Canada), Maia Carter Hallward (Kennesaw State University, GA, USA)
Imprint: Polity Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 235mm, Width: 158mm, Spine: 27mm
Weight: 510g
ISBN: 9781509565016
ISBN 10: 1509565019
Pages: 244
Publication Date: 24 October 2025
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Contents Illustrations Acknowledgments Introduction 1. How Gaza Became “The Strip” 2. Gaza Under Occupation 3. Gaza Rises Up 4. Israel’s Disengagement 5. The Rise of Hamas 6. Hamas in Government 7. Israel, Hamas, and the Gaza Wars (2008–2021) 8. October 7 9. The Gaza War Begins 10. The Gaza War Continues 11. Regional Escalations 12. International Responses Conclusion: What Next for Gaza? Chronology Notes Index

Julie M. Norman is Associate Professor of Politics and International Relations at University College London, and Senior Associate Fellow on the Middle East at the Royal United Services Institute. Maia Carter Hallward is Director of the PhD Program in International Conflict Management and Professor of Middle East Politics at Kennesaw State University.

Reviews for Gaza: The Dream and the Nightmare

""This book is a vivid narrative of the Gaza experience, explaining how Gaza became an isolated and unique front in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and how this led to its radicalization and a denouement of tragic proportions."" Alan Dowty, University of Notre Dame and author of Israel/Palestine ""This book provides a very readable account of the history of Gaza from the mandate period to the First Intifada and on until the present, coming into its own with a comprehensive account of the events following the 7 October attack by Hamas on Israel. It draws on press sources and informed commentary, illuminated by personal testimonies to draw out the contested terrain of interpretation regarding this beset and besieged strip of land."" Anthony Gorman, University of Edinburgh