Right before his office in Gaza, Naim, a typographer in his late fifties who prints posters of young martyrs, is killed by a ‘misled’ bullet. His death marks the beginning of a story that intertwines private tragedy and collective destiny: his son Saleem, returning from Italy where he works as a researcher, must reckon with a past he thought he had left behind and a present that lays claim on him. When Saleem decides not to print a poster for his deceased father, against local custom, the decision sparks a deep discussion within the community about the nature of heroism.

Around Saleem, the stories of his childhood friends unfold: some choosing the resistance, some pursuing a career in the great “news factory” that Gaza has become, some dreaming of going abroad, some climbing the ranks of power – while the past resurfaces in the older generation’s stories, filled with sorrow and perseverance. From the memory of the Nakba to the Intifadas, from literary evenings in cafés to prisons, from property speculation to civil protest movements, the novel draws us into the life of the city of Gaza.

“Saif paints a picture of a city that, despite being broken by multiple hardships, is held together by a complex social structure in which each character finds their way, wherever it may lead. A Suspended Life is a family and city history in one.” – FAZ on the German translation