Abdel Nasser Mustafa Salim al-Saqqa
Abdel Nasser al-Saqqa (ʿAbd al-Nāṣir al-Saqqā) (عبد الناصر مصطفى سليم السقا) was a professor of Geography at al-Aqsa University. He had a long and full career there – teaching for almost 28 years and serving as Head of the Department of Geography (2005-06) with multiple two-year terms as Assistant Head.
Abdel Nasser al-Saqqa was born in Khan Yunis in the southern portion of the Gaza Strip on 31 May 1964. He went abroad for his university studies. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Geography in 1990 from Garyounis University (name changed in 2011 to University of Benghazi) in Libya, and his master’s – also in Geography — in 1996 from the University of Jordan in Amman. Sometime later, he began doctoral studies in Egypt.
Professor al-Saqqa began his career at al-Aqsa University in the 1996-97 academic year. He taught a variety of courses in the Department of Geography, among them, Geography of Palestine, Economic Geography, Human Geography, Geography of Settlement, and Geography of Africa. He supervised numerous student research projects and was active in designing curricula and syllabi. He was a valued member of his department, known for his collegiality and generosity. And he was a much-appreciated teacher whose students, in their tributes to him, highlighted his exceptional teaching skills, as well as his rectitude and kindness:
One student wrote: “He was a wonderful, knowledgeable teacher, always advising and responsive whenever we had difficulties. In truth, we never witnessed anything from him except good treatment, a pleasant smile, and fine manners.”
Another student wrote: “Dr. Abdel Nasser al-Saqqa was my favorite professor at al-Aqsa University. He was a professor of geography and specialized in the land of Palestine. I took his classes from 2014 to 2018. He was generous and kind to his students.”
This same student added the following: “His four children and wife lived abroad in Belgium, to have a better life amid Israel’s continuing siege on Gaza. But Dr. Abdel Nasser – also known as Abu Mustafa – stayed in Gaza out of his dedication to his students and to continue his work as a professor. He spoke often of his children and how he looked forward to visiting them…. … In his last post on Facebook, he wrote of the pain he felt in the constant communications blackouts, how he had gone for days upon days without being able to speak to his children. ‘Maybe better days will bring us together’, he wrote….”
Abdel Nasser al-Saqqa was killed on Sunday, 7 January 2024 when Israeli airstrikes targeted his home during an intense bombing campaign in Khan Yunis. He was 59 years old, a father, a husband and a beloved professor.
