FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

19 March 2025

(NEW YORK) — Artists at Risk Connection (ARC) condemns the indiscriminate Israeli attacks on Gaza in violation of the ceasefire agreement, which killed Palestinian visual artist Durgham Qreiqeh and his family on Tuesday, 18 March, among over 400 other casualties. According to local witnesses, Durgham Qreiqeh was in his home with his family in the Shuja’iyyah neighborhood of Gaza City when the building was struck with missiles fired from Israeli jets, killing him, his wife, and siblings. ARC calls on the Israeli government to immediately stop its indiscriminate attacks on the civilian population of Gaza including artists, cultural workers, and their families, and to re-commit to the terms of the January ceasefire agreement.

“Israel’s indiscriminate bombing of the Palestinian population in Gaza has once again claimed the life of another talented young artist, Durgham Qreiqeh, as he sheltered in his home with his young family,” said Julie Trébault, Executive Director of ARC. “The killing of artists is the deliberate destruction of culture, memory, and the stories that shape a people’s identity. After nearly a year and a half of relentless bombardment, ARC joins the vast majority of rights organizations in calling for an end to this devastation allowing Palestinians to rebuild in peace. Durgham’s legacy will live on in the impact he had on children, on his community, and in the art he created.”

Durgham Qreiqeh was a visual artist known for his work with children and on community-based projects with local organizations. According to the Tamer Institute, where Durgham had worked for a few years, the artist had returned to his home in Shuja’iyyah after the ceasefire went into effect on 19 January. He and his wife, Aya Qudra, who is also an artist, married in February. Among his last Instagram posts on 28 February, he wrote:

 “But as it is said: ‘Hope is not killed except by the death of the soul,’ and art is my soul that will not die.”

About ARC

Artists at Risk Connection (ARC) is an international organization committed to promoting and advancing the right to artistic freedom worldwide. Founded in 2017, ARC works to protect artists and cultural workers who are at risk because of their creative expression, often connected to their identities or roles within their communities. By providing vital resources and support, ARC helps artists at risk overcome challenges like persecution, censorship, threats, and violence from both state and non-state actors—whether for their artistic expression or the broader impact they have on cultural, social, and political issues. 

For press inquiries, please contact:

Adam Shapiro
Director of Programs
Artists at Risk Connection (ARC)
+1 202-294-8813
ashapiro@artistsatriskconnection.org