Hamze Awawde (born 1990)[1] is a Palestinian peace activist.
Early life and education
Awawde grew up in the West Bank city of Dura.[2] His family is a prominent one in the Hebron area; his grandfather was a Fatah official.[2][3] During the Second Intifada, part of Awawde's home was destroyed by IDF soldiers, who thought a terrorist was hiding in the building.[3]
In 2011, Awawde joined the Facebook group YaLa Young Leaders, a project organized by the Peres Center for Peace, which was meant to be a space for Israelis and Palestinians to connect on an individual basis.[5] Awawde remained with the group as they expanded,[6] and later became a part of their leadership and organized some programs for them.[4][7]
In 2014, through a program called New Story Leadership, Awawde traveled to the United States, where he lived in Washington D.C. with an Israeli program participant.[2][3] At the time, he was an intern at Americans for Peace Now.[2][3][8] Awawde and his housemate developed a close friendship that the two aimed to continue when they returned home.[2]
Awade works for Hands of Peace as Regional Manager of the Palestinian Delegation.[4]
In November 2023, Awawde co-organized Building Bridges, Together for Humanity, a joint Israeli-Palestinian anti-hate event in London.[9]