Journalists in Gaza are not showing us what is happening; they are what is happening. In the blink of an eye, reporters in Gaza put their press vests on and held cameras in their hands, shattering my previous perception — as a journalist myself — that real journalism was gone. Motaz Azaiza, Plestia Alaqad, Bisan Owda, Hind Khoudary, Wael al-Dahdouh — these are some of the names of the unsung Palestinian heroes documenting the war on Gaza for the world to see. I had never heard of them before 7 October; today — almost two months later — I wake up every morning to check if they are still alive or not. “I am still alive,” they say, My jaws unclench, and my shoulders relax, until it is time to start it all over the next day. Many others, like the late Shireen Abu Akleh, Issam Abdallah, Farah Omar, Rabih al-Maamari, have lost their lives while practicing their professions, vowing to show the world the realities that are taking place in Gaza. In Gaza and many war-torn parts of the world, the line between a civilian and a journalist is…
From Gaza to the World: on The Resilience and Courage of Palestinian Journalists
December 3, 2023
