Between Gaza and Naples. A Childhood Story
Between Gaza and Naples. A Childhood Story by Mahmoud Abu Al-Qaraya and Tylerdurdan is born from the encounter of two free voices coming from distant worlds, yet united by the same urgency to bear witness. On one side, Mahmoud Abu Al-Qaraya, a 29-year-old photographer from Gaza, who after years of hard work and recognition saw his career and his life shattered by war: his family displaced four times, the loss of his camera — his only working tool — and a daily struggle against hunger, disease, and constant bombardment.
On the other side, Raffaele Annunziata, a Neapolitan photographer and artist known as tylerdurdan*, who for over a decade has combined music, images, and words as a form of cultural resistance, with the aim of denouncing injustice and restoring centrality to what makes us human. Together, they have chosen to tell — through parallel photographs — the everyday life of two little girls, one in Naples and the other in Gaza.
Between Naples and Gaza. A Childhood Story Two distant cities, one childhood to defend.
Scenes that appear simple elsewhere (playing, going to school, having breakfast) become almost impossible under siege. Between Naples and Gaza. A Childhood Story is not only a photographic project, but a narrative and ethical bridge: to give voice to those at risk of being silenced, reminding the world that childhood is a universal right. The project also supports the campaign “Mahmoud Loves Photography, Family & Life ”, a concrete appeal to help Mahmoud and his family rebuild their life and his work as a photographer.
Between Gaza and Naples. A Childhood Story is a project bringing together two perspectives: Raffaele Annunziata (tylerdurdan), an artist from Naples, and Mahmoud Abu Al-Qaraya, a photographer from Gaza. Through parallel images, we tell childhood in two distant worlds, to remind the world that childhood is a universal right.
Mahmoud Abu Al-Qaraya Together, they have chosen to tell — through parallel photographs — the everyday life of two little girls, one in Naples and the other in Gaza. Scenes that appear simple elsewhere (playing, going to school, sleeping) become almost impossible under siege. Between Naples and Gaza. A Childhood Story is not only a photographic project, but a narrative and ethical bridge: to give voice to those at risk of being silenced, reminding the world that childhood is a universal right.
The project Between Naples and Gaza. A Childhood Story also supports the campaign “Mahmoud Loves Photography, Family and Life”, a concrete appeal to help Mahmoud and his family rebuild their life and his work as a photographer.
About the photographers
Mahmoud Abu Al-Qaraya is a 29-year-old photographer and online trader from Gaza, whose life has been marked by passion, tragedy, and resilience. Before the aggression of October 7, 2023, Mahmoud was building a promising career: photography and Amazon trading were not only his livelihood but also his way of capturing the beauty of his city and telling the story of his people.
Since the beginning of the war, his family has been displaced four times; he lost his home, his camera — the starting point of his entire work — and all of his savings were consumed. Many of his friends and relatives have been killed or remain missing. Mahmoud himself was ill, and airstrikes — but he holds on to his dignity, his art, and his voice. He was abducted and tortured for two weeks, an experience that left deep scars. Despite all this, he keeps on fighting: every day he faces hunger, thirst. His mission is clear: to use photography not just to witness pain, but to carry hope — so the world can see, remember, and act. Through Between Naples and Gaza. A Childhood Story, Mahmoud aims to share both his story and that of those who, like him, live under the weight of conflict but continue to resist with humanity.
Raffaele Annunziata is a Digital Media Strategist, author, and speaker, and the founder of Seed Media Agency, established in 2012. He holds degrees in Cultural Heritage Management and Cinema, Television and Multimedia Production, combining his artistic background with over 20 years of experience in digital communication. At Seed Media Agency, he has designed storytelling strategies that merge creativity, ethics, and digital innovation for clients across multiple industries. A passionate urban photographer, he documents reality through the lens of a Fujifilm X‑T5, crafting an authentic visual narrative. With the project ‘ Raffele Annunziata (tylerdurdan), he brings together his technological and visual expertise with music and poetry, becoming the unmistakable voice of a human author in the age of AI. With his media account tylerdurdan, he weaves photography, writing, and generative AI music into a single narrative, convinced that every artistic act is a political one — a gesture of resistance in defence of minorities and, above al, of the Palestinian cause.
Mahmoud Abu Al-Qaraya
Instagram: @mhqee
Raffaele Annunziata
Instagram: @tylerdurdan10
Website: www.tylerdurdan.com
Project website: https://www.betweengazaandnaples.org/
Support Mahmoud’s Campaign HERE
