Huda Mustafa basically took over the internet during the summer of 2025. If you were anywhere near TikTok or Twitter (X) while Season 7 of Love Island USA was airing, you saw the "Hurricane Huda" memes. You saw the pancake drama. You probably saw the chaotic breakup during the actual finale. But beyond the reality TV "crashouts," a massive conversation started bubbling up about her heritage.
People were asking one thing: Is Huda from Love Island Palestinian?
The short answer is yes. Huda Mustafa is a Palestinian-American woman. While reality TV usually sticks to surface-level fluff, Huda’s identity became a focal point for fans who noticed the details the cameras didn’t always explain. She wears an "Allah" necklace. She has visible Arabic tattoos. Her mother, who appeared during the show’s family visit segment, is a hijabi.
The Identity of Huda Mustafa Explained
Huda hails from North Carolina, but her roots are deeply tied to Palestine. This wasn't just a "fun fact" for her bio; it shaped a lot of the discourse around her time in the villa. In 2025, being a visibly Palestinian woman on a mainstream American dating show is... a lot.
It’s heavy.
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She entered the villa as an OG (original) Islander, and from day one, she was unapologetic. Some viewers found her "too much." Others saw her as a refreshing break from the "sanitized" contestants we usually get. But for many in the Arab diaspora, seeing a woman who looks like them—Arabic tattoos and all—navigating the messy world of Fiji was a huge moment for representation.
Why the Palestinian label sparked so much debate
Honestly, it got pretty intense. Because Huda wasn't a "perfect" or "quiet" contestant, her ethnicity was sometimes used against her in some of the darker corners of the internet. There was a lot of talk about how she was edited and whether her "fiery" personality was being leaned into because of stereotypes.
One of the biggest controversies of the season happened during Casa Amor. Huda kissed Elan Bibas, a Jewish Canadian contestant. In the vacuum of a reality show, it’s just a kiss. In the real world of 2025, it became a lightning rod for political commentary, especially given Elan's public stance on Middle Eastern politics. Huda, cut off from her phone and the news, had no idea about the storm brewing outside until she left the villa.
Clearing up the "Iraq" and "Malta" Confusion
If you’ve been Googling Huda's background, you might have run into some weirdly conflicting info. Some AI-generated blogs (the irony isn't lost on us) have claimed she has roots in Iraq or even that she’s from Malta.
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Let's set the record straight:
- Is she Iraqi? No. This confusion likely comes from people mixing her up with Huda Kattan (the Huda Beauty founder), who is Iraqi-American. They share a name, they're both high-profile, and they even had a brief professional connection before Huda Beauty reportedly cut ties with Huda Mustafa following some post-show social media drama.
- Is she Maltese? Also no. There was a contestant named Huda on a different international version of the show once, but the "Hurricane Huda" from Season 7 is 100% Palestinian-American from the South.
Life After the Villa and the "Free Palestine" Stance
Since finishing third on the show with Chris Seeley (and then immediately breaking up with him on camera), Huda hasn't shied away from her heritage.
She’s used her massive platform—now over half a million followers—to be quite vocal. If you check her bio today, you'll likely see a link to the Palestine Children's Relief Fund (PCRF). She did a major interview with GQ Middle East where she talked about the "anti-Palestinian attacks" she faced while the show was airing and ended the piece with a blunt "Free Palestine."
It’s a weird spot to be in. She’s a fitness influencer. She’s a single mom to her daughter, Arleigh. She’s a reality star who dates people like Louis Russell from Too Hot To Handle. But she’s also become a symbol of a very specific, complicated type of modern Palestinian identity in the West.
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What to take away from Huda’s journey
Reality TV is rarely just about "finding love." For Huda Mustafa, it was a crash course in how the public perceives Middle Eastern women when they don't follow a script. She was messy, she was loud, and she was Palestinian.
If you're looking for the facts: she is Palestinian-American, she’s from North Carolina, and she’s arguably the most controversial and talked-about contestant in the history of the U.S. franchise.
Next Steps for Fans:
If you're following Huda's journey for more than just the drama, you can check out her fitness coaching platform or follow her TikTok for updates on her life as a mom. If you’re interested in the causes she supports, her social media profiles consistently feature vetted links for humanitarian aid in Gaza and the West Bank.