Gazan filmmaker Yousef AlHelou has endured the profound loss of numerous family members over the years as a result of the ongoing Israeli occupation. In the late summer of 2023, he traveled to Gaza to visit his sister and her family, capturing what would become the final footage of the region before the events of October 7. Tragically, shortly after that date, his sister and her seven children were killed, and their bodies have yet to be recovered.

In Episode 2 of Palestinian Stories, Yousef reflects on his memories of Gaza and shares the emotional journey behind the creation of The Phoenix of Gaza, a film born from those final, haunting images.