From the Depths of Pain, the Project of Hope, Shaffaf, Was Born

Aya Khalil, a Palestinian from Gaza, was born on February 10, 1977, in Beirut. She spent part of her childhood there before moving with her family to Yemen, and then to Jordan.

From there, they returned to the Gaza Strip after the signing of the first Oslo Accord in 1993.

Fate led Aya to pursue her university education at Birzeit University, north of Ramallah. After earning a bachelor’s degree in media, she obtained a master’s degree in international studies from the same university.

Aya returned to Gaza, where she lived for several years before leaving again—not for education this time, but for marriage, after meeting and marrying her Palestinian Jerusalemite husband in 2005.

Despite her deep love for Jerusalem and her strong attachment to the holy city, Gaza remained the place closest to her heart: a warm haven where she reunited with family and loved ones every few years.

Due to successive wars and her responsibilities as a mother of three, visiting Gaza became increasingly difficult, if not downright impossible. The most painful times of separation were during the outbreaks of war, when her heart ached for those she loved in the burning land of Gaza.

During the 2014 Gaza War, Aya spent long hours glued to the television as she followed the heartbreaking news. To channel her grief and anxiety, her eyes fell on a glass panel, and she began painting on it with colors she had brought from Gaza. This is how she discovered her talent for painting. From that year forward, art became her refuge—a way to escape from sorrow, pain, and fear.

She named her home-based project Shaffaf, which means “transparent” in Arabic. At home, she dedicates herself to painting on glass and crafting pieces from olive wood. She brings unique ideas to life, decorating her house and captivating visitors at various art exhibitions where she showcases her work.

Through Shaffaf, Aya has developed a strong passion for art and an outlet for her emotional pain.