[News] ‘Resilient, Unwavering’ - How Journalists in Gaza Foiled Israel's Plans

[Anti-Imperialist News]

palestinechronicle.com
<https://www.palestinechronicle.com/resilient-unwavering-how-journalists-in-gaza-foiled-israels-plans/>
‘Resilient, Unwavering’ - How Journalists in Gaza Foiled Israel's PlansFebruary
16, 2025
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Five Palestinian journalists were killed in an Israeli strike in Nuseirat.
(Photo: via social media, QNN)

*By Fayed Abu Shamala
<https://www.palestinechronicle.com/writers/fayed-abu-shamala>*

Fayed Abu Shamala, a political analyst and journalist, argued in his latest
article published in Al-Jazeera Arabic website that despite facing extreme
targeting and violence, Palestinian journalists in Gaza became fearless
truth-tellers, exposing the occupation’s atrocities to the world.

No place in the world, at any point in history, has witnessed the killing
of journalists and media workers in numbers like those killed in the Gaza
Strip during the genocide that followed October 7, 2023.

The Israeli occupation has killed journalists through bombing, shelling,
and sniper fire, and demolished their homes on top of them and their
families in a brutal way that the world has never seen before.

A total of 207 journalists and media workers—men, women, youth, and
elderly—were killed indiscriminately, at a rate of three per week, which is
three times higher than the global average for journalist fatalities in the
worst years, particularly in conflict zones, or due to their investigative
work on organized crime, human trafficking, corruption, and other issues.

It is not useful here to ask the occupation why it deliberately targeted
journalists—mostly if not always—because the occupation has consistently
fabricated false narratives about the relationship of Palestinian
journalists in Gaza to their national cause, the suffering of their people,
and their ties to resistance factions.

The occupation has also fabricated accusations against those whose killings
sparked relatively significant global outcry, as in the case of the
assassination of journalist Ismail Al-Ghoul, a promising young journalist
who covered the harshest phases of the aggression on Gaza City and the
siege and invasion of Al-Shifa Hospital. He was arrested briefly and then
released before Israeli missiles struck him on a major news day when he was
covering the aftermath of the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of
Hamas’s political bureau. Both Ismails became martyrs on the same day, in
almost the same way, one in Tehran, the other in Gaza City.
*A Systematic Strategy for Dealing with the Media*

Since October 7, the Israeli occupation has prevented foreign journalists
from entering Gaza for two main reasons:

The first is to remove the protection that journalists in Gaza have. The
presence of foreign journalists or any international staff, especially
Westerners—as in all previous wars—means the occupation must be more
precise in targeting. This time, the occupation wanted to eliminate that
burden.

The second reason is to shield the occupation from being held accountable
by foreign journalists, who—regardless of their political views—would
document and publish the atrocities and crimes committed by the occupation.

Palestinian journalists succeeded in compensating for this absence by
spreading out, preparing, and delivering the image to the world with as
many details as possible, bearing the burden of doing so.
*Various Measures Taken*

In response, the occupation took a series of measures:

First: The evacuation of foreign agency and media institution journalists,
who had vast experience, high expertise, and strong connections to the
outside world. Most of them were evacuated to Egypt, Qatar, or other
countries at their institutions’ request under the guise of protection.

Second: The destruction of Palestinian media institutions and equipment,
including studios, cameras, broadcast vans, and more.

Third: The direct assassination of a large number of journalists working
with Palestinian media institutions, bombing their homes or shooting them
while they were working or using drones.

Fourth: Doubting the credibility and professionalism of journalists,
creating false narratives to weaken their credibility, which made it easier
to target them at any time and in any way.

Fifth: Arrests—journalists and media workers were frequently arrested,
tortured, and their families harassed. In some cases, their homes were
burned, as happened with veteran journalist Imad Al-Ifranji Abu Mesab, who
remains behind bars.

Sixth: Injuries and the denial of treatment—this confirms the theory of
deliberate targeting. If these were merely incidental events caused by the
nature of the battle, the occupation would have been careful to provide
assistance, as it does to its own soldiers who are injured in battle. At
the very least, it would have allowed them to receive medical care in the
nearest possible location, or permitted them to travel abroad for
treatment, especially considering that the occupation had destroyed Gaza’s
medical institutions, leaving them unable to provide the necessary services.

Seventh: Threats through phone calls and Israeli television programs, which
were repeatedly used against dozens of journalists and photographers to
intimidate and stop them from covering the events.

*How Did Palestinian Journalists Respond?*

Journalists did not succumb to this widespread targeting. Instead, they
continued their coverage and made it their mission to find alternatives and
means to deliver direct or recorded images and news, exposing the
occupation’s practices and crimes in every area of Gaza. They relied on
experiences passed down through three generations of journalists since the
first Palestinian Intifada, known as the “Stone Intifada” in 1987.

They also drew strength from their belief in their role, the impact they
had, and their ability to protect their people through their work, as they
had done in every war that Gaza had experienced over the past two decades.
They remained committed to their duties, keeping the coverage ongoing and
ensuring the image of Gaza was never lost.
*Amazing Results*

A new generation of journalists emerged, carrying the banner of their
predecessors, and ensuring that Gaza’s story was told to the world without
being obscured. These journalists quickly became famous for their constant
presence in danger zones, their deep connection to their community, and the
fact that their homes, like the rest of Gaza, were targeted, and their
families, too, were bombed or displaced. The world witnessed them screaming
in fear, fleeing in panic, shaking from cold, starving, suffering from
wounds, or bidding farewell to their fallen loved ones.

Gaza was able to tell its story with boldness and clarity through these
journalists. The occupation failed miserably to silence the truth, and
international media institutions that once seemed large became small and
ineffective, even complicit. They neither fought for the journalists in
Gaza, nor for entry into Gaza to cover the horrific and devastating war,
which we’ve come to call “the war of genocide.” Nor did they fulfill their
duty to convey the truth or defend the rights of Palestinian journalists to
have the protection and freedom stipulated by international conventions.
*Gaza Journalists Deserve Global Recognition*

Gaza’s journalists deserve to win every award for bravery at international
festivals and events. They stood firm, endured hardships, and clung to
their people and their cause. They conveyed every image of suffering, the
traces of which were evident on their faces, eyes, voices, bodies, and
possessions.
*Three Generations of Journalists*

Perhaps this is a personal account of the journalism profession in Gaza,
not a precise scientific history, as the profession did not begin when I
started. Many journalists preceded me and my generation over the years.
However, I noticed that our generation formed a complete layer of
journalists across different fields, most of whom joined the first major
Palestinian popular uprising, known as the Stone Intifada, which began in
1987.

They then witnessed the political developments that followed, especially
the “peace process,” the Oslo Accords, and the establishment of the
Palestinian Authority after the return of Yasser Arafat and the Palestine
Liberation Organization. My own relationship with journalism began with
this generation, which was also targeted by the occupation during the
genocide, as seen in the targeting of the prominent journalist Mustafa
Al-Swaf, who became a martyr, along with several members of his family.

Another colleague from this era was Wael Al-Dahdoh, the Al Jazeera bureau
chief, who, along with his family and home, was targeted. He was injured,
and several of his family members were martyred.

Veteran journalist Imad Al-Ifranji, another prominent figure in Gaza
journalism, was tortured by the occupation after his arrest, and his home
was burned, forcing his family to seek refuge in southern Gaza in a harsh
and cruel manner.

I would not exaggerate if I said that most of the members of the first and
second generations, those who came from the womb of the Al-Aqsa Intifada in
2000, experienced successive wars since 2008. These include journalists
such as Tamer Al-Mishal, Moamen Al-Sharafi, Hisham Zaqout, and others, who
worked in various media institutions, covering wars from 2008 to 2021.
They, too, were targeted by killing, injury, threat, or arrest, with their
families and homes also targeted.

The third generation of journalists appeared either after the 2021 war or
before it but truly stood out when they carried the banner with distinction
during the most challenging battles of all, starting with the eruption of
the Al-Aqsa Flood at the end of 2023. They presented an honorable image of
their bravery, professionalism, national loyalty, and carrying the cause of
their people. We are proud of them and celebrate their work.

We mourn the 207 martyr journalists and wish a full recovery to the
wounded, freedom for the prisoners, and that God compensates the affected
with the best of rewards.

The story of Gaza’s journalists is just a small example of all sectors of
the Palestinian people in Gaza. Their experiences, wars, and the
inspiration of previous generations made them resilient, and they were
forced to bear heavy burdens. Some have passed, and others are still
waiting, unwavering in their commitment.

*(Al-Jazeera Arabic Website – Translated and prepared by the Palestine
Chronicle) *
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