Pro-Palestinian Activist Exposed as Jewish American with Settler Family Ties

Hana Gittens, a prominent activist who presented herself as a Black Palestinian and a leading voice against Israel, has been revealed to be a white Jewish woman from Philadelphia. Her own former activist groups, the Racial Justice Organizing Committee (RJOC) and Educators for Palestine Philadelphia (PEFP), exposed her identity after discovering she is Jewish and has family living in Israeli settlements. Gittens gained significant attention following the October 7th attacks, frequently speaking at pro-Palestinian events and claiming Palestinian heritage, including that her grandfather was born in Palestine. She also reportedly solicited donations by claiming to send money to her family there, though her grandfather was born in Baltimore to a Jewish family.

Gittens was a teacher at a Philadelphia high school, where a billboard was placed in 2024 calling her "Philadelphia's top antisemite." Her former colleagues and fellow activists expressed shock and betrayal, stating that her deception caused significant harm to their cause, Palestinian solidarity, and the Black community. They emphasized that while one doesn't need to be Palestinian or Black to support the cause, honesty is essential.

Following the revelations, a former college classmate confirmed Gittens was known as Jewish and that her family resided in the West Bank. This classmate also noted that Gittens appeared to have altered her appearance, darkening her skin with makeup and self-tanner and adopting an African American dialect.

Gittens has since released an apology video on Instagram, acknowledging the harm caused by her lies about her identity. She stated that her deception does not invalidate the experiences of other pro-Palestinian voices or diminish the urgency of listening to those on the ground in Palestine. She expressed a commitment to trying to rectify the damage she has done.