Hala Rharrit was at home on October 7, 2023, when she learned of the Hamas militant group’s attack on Israel. Stationed in Dubai and serving as Arabic Language Spokesperson and Dubai Regional Media Hub Deputy Director for the U.S. Department of State, Rharrit wasn’t surprised an attack had occurred. For some time the Gaza Strip, a small piece of land along the Mediterranean Sea inhabited mainly by Palestinian refugees and their descendants, had been a ticking time bomb. Every few years wa...
