Palestinian journalist dedicates award to protesters around the world who support Gaza.
Palestinian journalist Bisan Owda and AJ+ won a Peabody Award for their coverage of the devastating impact of Israel’s war in the Gaza Strip on Palestinians in the besieged enclave.
One of the highest honors in the field of journalism, the award was revealed Thursday for the first video in Owda’s series for AJ+ on daily life under Israeli bombing.
“Hello everyone. This is Bisan from Gaza,” Owda says in the video, which has been viewed more than 1.3 million times and posted on November 3, less than a month after the start of the Israeli military offensive .
“I smile because I’m alive,” she says.
Owda, 25, has reported daily from Gaza since the start of the war, which has now lasted seven months and has killed more than 34,900 Palestinians.
His widely shared videos put a human face on the realities of daily life in Gaza and show the world what Palestinians are doing to survive amid severe restrictions imposed by Israel on the delivery of food, water, fuel and supplies. humanitarian operations in the territory have created a humanitarian crisis. .
“From her makeshift tent outside the medical center, she shows what survival looks like for her and the masses around her, relying on her indomitable spirit to keep the world informed of the daily reality on the ground in Gaza. » said the Peabody jury in a press release announcing the winners.
Owda dedicated the Peabody Award to university students and all those who demonstrated in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
“To all those who took to the streets. To all those in our country who participate in boycotts. To all people of the world, regardless of religion, color and ethnicity,” she said in a statement.
“Regardless of what differentiates them, they are united in the same mission: in their demands for a free Palestine. You deserve this award. And U.S. too. And one day this genocide will end. And Palestine will be free. And we will welcome you here. On Gaza soil. You all.
“Thank you very much for this award and for always supporting us, standing by us and continuing to do so until we achieved our demands: an end to the genocide, a ceasefire and a free Palestine.”
Tony Karon, editorial manager of AJ+, said: “Bisan’s heroic story exemplifies the spirit of AJ+ and the wider Tel Aviv Tribune network, of which we are a part. »
“We strive to tell the human story from where the missiles land, to uplift the human spirit and the hope it brings for better days, to shine a light on places and stories that those in power would prefer to keep in the dark,” Karon said. .
“Bisan has provided us and the world’s media with a wonderful example of how to cover war. We are honored and humbled that his work graces our platform.
AJ+ won a Peabody Award last year for One Day In Hebron, a report by lead anchor Dena Takruri about the discrimination Palestinians face in her father’s hometown in the occupied West Bank.
