At least 30 journalists were killed in the latest Palestinian-Israeli violence that began on October 7, the Committee to Protect Journalists said. Among these journalists are 25 Palestinians, four Israelis and one Lebanese.
In response to the Hamas attack on Israel, in which more than 1,400 people died, Israel has carried out almost continuous raids on Gaza that have so far claimed the lives of more than 8,000 people, including more than of 3,000 children.
Those covering Gaza continue to carry out their work while facing what Amnesty International describes as “war crimes” consisting of collective punishment and indiscriminate attacks. But in the West Bank, Gaza and beyond, Palestinian journalists speak of unprecedented physical, emotional and mental tensions. They navigate the tricky terrain of professional journalism while facing intensified censorship, and what they say is deliberate Israeli fire.
Al Jazeera spoke to a number of Palestinian journalists in Gaza, the West Bank and beyond.
Majd Said, television presenter from Abu Dhabi, West Bank
“I am one of the journalists who covered the Al-Aqsa Intifada (the second Intifada from 2000 to 2005). It was cruel and difficult at the time, but it has nothing to do with what we are seeing today.
The level of oppression we experience as citizens and journalists is unprecedented – oppressed due to the feeling of powerlessness on all fronts, politically, on the ground and on a human level. We are unable to offer anything to our people in Gaza.
It is true that I express myself when I speak on the air, but we have never experienced so much destruction, murder and displacement. I witnessed the first Intifada and was a journalist covering the second Intifada, but I have never seen such atrocities.
And the rest of the world opposes the Palestinian cause – governments are politically opposed to Palestine. There is popular sympathy for the Palestinian cause, but the people apparently have no impact on their government. God only knows in which direction their plans will take us.
Aseel Mafarjeh, independent journalist, West Bank
“We are going through an exceptionally difficult time for Palestinian journalists in the West Bank. The loss of their colleagues has hampered their creativity, but they are still determined to denounce the crimes of the occupation. Seeing a colleague lose a martyred family member makes journalists fear because this situation will last a long time.
I saw difficult things on the ground. How can a mother bury her martyred son with a smile? Where does she get this strength? In those moments, I burst into tears. I’m conflicted because I’m supposed to be strong, but in that moment, I’m the one who needs to be comforted. Interviewing the families of martyrs after their burial is more difficult than the funeral itself. That’s when his family remembers all the good things about him. Some wish they were dead in their place, while others remain loyal. You can never forget what a mother or father says about their martyred son.
Journalists are also victims of the crimes of the occupation, like Shireen Abu Akleh and many Palestinian colleagues. The exhaustion, despair, frustration, panic and heartbreak that journalists experience every day force them to set limits on all their projects. Everyone has a family they worry about. But for how long ?
How does a journalist live in Palestine? He is dejected, suffering from the horrors of the scene. He cannot rebel to protect his family, whose movements could be paralyzed by the occupation. He could die in an instant covering up the violence.
How long can we endure this? Can we continue on this path? I think the majority would say no.
Mosab Shawer, freelance photojournalist, Hebron, West Bank
“Since October 7, it has been even more difficult for journalists to travel in the occupied territories. It has become very difficult to report on some developments due to the deployment of police and settler anger against the Arab press.
In my 15 years of reporting, I have never felt so helpless and afraid. We saw, along with the whole world, mothers mourning their murdered children and their dreams cut short – far too short.
Mohammed J Abu Safia, independent journalist and photographer, Gaza
“What scares me the most is my powerlessness to protect my family. Where are we going? There is no place we haven’t escaped to. We have moved so many times already. My family is split into three different homes, so we don’t die together. Surviving this would allow us to talk about the injustice that happened to us.
What I see during my hospital visits is beyond my ability to describe. I take photos because they can convey what my words cannot when it comes to what is happening in Gaza. It’s a massacre. Children burned, pregnant women targeted. Even when the Israeli army warned people to evacuate, they still bombed the road they considered safe. »
Mahmoud Zoghbor, independent Palestinian journalist in Cairo
“I left for Cairo six months ago looking for career advancement, but what I feel now are feelings of guilt, remorse and helplessness over what is happening in Gaza. I call colleagues and friends there and they think they are the next victim. I am also unable to help spread the word and report properly from here because the communication channels are targeted.
During the first week of the war, my mind was still in shock and unable to comprehend the enormous amount of shocking news resulting from the bombings and displacement of civilians. But little by little, I began to feel psychological isolation and great fear due to the lack of communication and the absence of a permanent way to help calm my anxiety and reassure me. These last few days I have had nightmares and great difficulty falling asleep, concentrating and reorganizing my thoughts. While I’m still following up on the stories I’m preparing with sources in Gaza, I’m spending time waiting for a possible opportunity to communicate without interference, as well as anticipating more sad news regarding the Israeli bombings that have hit most vital parts of Gaza. .
I know the war very well because I have experienced it many times, but its scale indicates that the population is exposed to widespread collective punishment.
Although I worked in newsrooms during previous bombings on Gaza, what is being documented by friends and activists on social media platforms is heartbreaking. Gazans are also disappearing from all means of communication, and the media has become almost the only source for verifying the safety of everyone living in Gaza.
These testimonies were compiled by Egab.