Hamze Awawde

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]

Awawde earned a bachelor's degree in business from Birzeit University, and a master's degree in global community development from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.^[4][5]

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.^[6] Awawde remained with the group as they expanded,^[7] and later became a part of their leadership and organized some programs for them.^[8][9]

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][10] 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.^[8]

In November 2023, Awawde co-organized Building Bridges, Together for Humanity, a joint Israeli-Palestinian anti-hate event in London.^[11]

As of 2023, Awawde lives in Ramallah.^[11][12] He is Muslim.^[13]