217 Today: Palestinian UIUC student reflects on the loss of her family in Gaza

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People protested in support of Palestine at the Alma Mater statue at the University of Illinois in Urbana on Nov. 1. The young woman in this story was among the speakers at the event.
  • Photo: Emily Hays/Illinois Public Media

December 21, 2023

Today’s headlines:

  • Many hourly workers across Illinois will see a bump in their paychecks in January.
  • The death of a boy living in a Chicago migrant shelter is drawing renewed scrutiny to shelter conditions.
  • The Transportation Security Administration says you might think twice before wrapping gifts ahead of time if you’re taking a flight this holiday season.
  • The Fighting Illini women’s basketball team lost to the Arkansas Razorbacks yesterday in the West Palm Beach Classic. 

In today’s deep dive, we’ll hear a conversation with a young woman in Champaign as she reflects on the loss of her family in Gaza amid ongoing Israeli airstrikes.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Mawa Iqbal, Tim Shelley, Tessa Weinberg, Colin Hislope and Nour Longi.

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Stephanie Mosqueda

Stephanie Mosqueda is a senior majoring in journalism at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with minors in Spanish and public relations. She is the 217 Today producer and a reporter for the Illinois Student Newsroom.