Silencing the Story: Journalists under siege in Gaza

“Surviving death every night is exhausting”

“On every morning, we say that last night was the worst night in the war… All days are worse than each other. This briefly describes the war”

“We had big dreams but our dream now is to be killed in one piece so they know who we are.”

Guwahati, May 3: These were some of the last social media messages that journalists from Gaza posted on their timelines before they breathed their last. Since the onset of the Israel-Gaza conflict on October 7, 2023, Israel has declared war against Hamas, conducting airstrikes on the besieged Gaza Strip. Journalists in Gaza have lost their lives while reporting on or seeking refuge from the violence. Some perished alongside their colleagues, while others tragically died with their family members.

According to Carlos Martínez de la Serna, Program Director of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) in New York, journalists have made the ultimate sacrifice–their lives–in the pursuit of truth. A portion of that truth is lost with each journalist’s death or injury.

Despite the dangers, the journalists tried to capture chaotic and calm scenes through photographs, video and social media posts. The visual and written records they left behind provided a grim peek into the lives of Palestinians under siege during the conflict.

According to CPJ, as of May 1, 2024, 97 journalists and media workers were confirmed dead, this includes 92 Palestinians, 3 Lebanese and 2 from Israel. Moreover, 16 journalists are reported injured, four are missing, and 25 have been arrested, severely hampering their ability to report freely. Alongside these physical dangers, there have been reports of assaults, threats, cyberattacks, censorship, and even targeted attacks on journalists' family members. The CPJ is actively investigating additional unconfirmed reports of journalists facing harm or threats, as well as damage to media offices and journalists' residences. However, their efforts were curbed by the lack of access to Gaza, the large number of cases and the extensive destruction.

Meanwhile, a report by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) claims that more than 100 journalists have been killed by Israeli strikes in Gaza in the initial five months since October 7. According to RSF, at least 22 of these journalists were killed in the course of their work or “because of their work.” Many were reporting in the field and were clearly identifiable as journalists. Others were killed by strikes that specifically targeted their homes. RSF has twice referred the alleged crimes committed against journalists by Israel to the International Criminal Court.

In heart-wrenching pictures taken during the funerals in Gaza, it became customary to place vests and helmets on the deceased journalists, symbolising the dangers they faced while covering the conflict.

Belal Jadallah, known as a guiding light in Gaza's journalism scene, established Press House, which became a hub for aspiring journalists. Offering training sessions, launching a news agency, and supplying essential gear like press vests and helmets, it flourished as a supportive community, even for foreign reporters who could use the space as a base of operation. In a poignant Facebook post, Jadallah mourned a colleague lost to violence at Press House. Tragically, Jadallah himself met his end in Gaza City when Israeli shelling struck his car as he prepared to evacuate in November 2023.

Ayat Khadoura, a Palestinian freelance journalist and podcast host, tragically lost her life on November 20, 2023, in an Israeli airstrike on her home in Beit Lahya, northern Gaza. Reports from press groups along with news outlets confirmed her death, alongside an unspecified number of family members. Khadoura had been actively sharing videos on social media, shedding light on the situation in Gaza. In a November 6 video titled "my last message to the world," she expressed the harrowing reality faced by many Palestinians, saying, "We had big dreams but our dream now is to be killed in one piece so they know who we are."

Hamza al-Dahdouh, an Al-Jazeera network journalist and cameraman, was driving in a car with other journalists along a road between Khan Younis and Rafah when it was hit. Freelance journalist Mustafa Thuraya was also killed. They were driving to an assignment in southern Gaza when the strike occurred, according to Al-Jazeera and the BBC.

Hamza was the eldest son of Al Jazeera’s Gaza bureau chief, Wael al-Dahdouh, who has been notably committed to reporting on his homeland’s conflicts for 25 years. Despite enduring personal tragedies like family deaths and his injuries, Dahdouh’s dedication stays strong. His own trials have elevated him as a symbol of the resilience of Gaza's journalists and the steadfastness of the Palestinian community. 

Reporting in Gaza has become enormously dangerous due to mass evacuation, air strikes, ground fighting and extensive power outages. In an interview, Sherif Mansour, coordinator for the Middle East at the CPJ, informed that the journalists in Gaza are facing dual hardships, while they were trying to extract information, they were also making efforts to evacuate and protect their families. “They are the most vulnerable, but they are also the most needed right now,” Mansour was quoted as saying. “They are our eyes on what’s happening.”

In Gaza, journalism is in trouble because many reporters are being killed. Human rights groups are worried about this problem. Even though the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) say they don't aim at journalists, they have been accused of killing reporters who were clearly doing their job. Also, it has been established that they have made false statements about and have not been punished for the deaths of media workers.

Before the war, a report from the CPJ showed that Israeli military fire had killed 20 journalists over 22 years and nobody was held accountable. This includes Shireen Abu Akleh, who was killed by Israel in May 2022. Additionally, Issam Abdullah, a journalist from Reuters, was killed by an Israeli tank shell in Lebanon in October last year. The attack was described as ‘deliberate and targeted’ by Agence France Press. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch called for an investigation to see if it could be considered a possible war crime.

While social media is abuzz with news of all sorts, without journalists on the ground to report accurately, it becomes difficult to separate true information from opinions, rumours and fiction. Moreover, if journalists aren't free to do their job, we would be left only with social media posts from people affected by violence and subjective reports from Hamas and the Israeli military.