Apache helicopters were flying overhead, while F-16 fighter jets were dropping bombs. Darkness engulfed Gaza, as there was no electricity, water and food. Mohammed Omer, a journalist and a father of a three-month-old baby, came to know that missile attacks could target their residence in three minutes. However, Omer and his family had nowhere to go. He, with nerves of steel, described the entire incident later!

This is the account of the July 2014 Israeli attacks on Gaza. The tale of the Omer family needs to be remembered today, keeping in mind the current dire situation in the Gaza Strip. It is because the Israelis have always targeted journalists working in Gaza. A couple of years after the third large-scale Israeli operation, called Operation Protective Edge, in Gaza in 2014; renowned Palestinian journalist Omer penned a book, titled Shell-Shocked: Dispatches from a War, to share his experience with the global community. Omer, along with his family, did not flee to any other place. Instead, he decided to stay in Gaza and to perform his professional duty. He documented the destruction on a regular basis before publishing the book.

Even today, Palestinian journalists continue to do the same in order to inform the international community about the Israeli atrocities. Wael al-Dahdouh (b. April 30, 1970), the Bureau Chief of Al Jazeera in Gaza City, is one of them. This Palestinian journalist recently lost almost his entire family during the bombardment on a refugee camp in Gaza. Eight of his family members, including al-Dahdouh’s wife, children and grandson, had taken shelter in that ill-fated camp. Others would have been completely devastated after experiencing this and would have wanted to escape from professional life. However, al-Dahdouh has made it clear that no one could suppress his voice, and that he would continue to perform his duties.

As expected, al-Dahdouh is facing problems while covering news in Gaza. Israel recently carried out drone strikes in Khan Yunis when a team of media persons were inspecting the condition of a school building. The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) carried out the attack despite knowing that the journalists were there. Although al-Dahdouh received injuries, his colleague and Belgian-Palestinian video journalist Samer Abu Daqqa (1978 – December 15, 2023) perished. Lying on a hospital bed, al-Dahdouh said that Samer was screaming for help. An ambulance was on its way to pick up the video journalist. Unfortunately, the ambulance failed to reach the spot as the IDF blocked the road, and Samer died of heavy bleeding for several hours.

There are repeated allegations that Israel is systematically killing journalists who are covering the ongoing war. The Jewish State is actually trying to prevent the release of shocking images and real information about its military operation in the Gaza Strip at any cost. In its latest report, the Committee to Protect Journalists has mentioned that 68 media persons died in Gaza till December 19 (2023) and 61 of them were Palestinians, while four were Israeli nationals and three Lebanese. Meanwhile, 13 journalists have received serious injuries. According to the Committee, three persons are still missing, while 20 journalists have been reportedly arrested. It is difficult to imagine (especially for an ordinary person) how journalists are performing their duties in war zones where there is no supply of electricity, water and food.

In case of a war, facts and truth are the first to be sacrificed. Warmongers try to spread one-sided, misleading and completely wrong information all over the world. In such a situation, it becomes increasingly difficult for war correspondents to perform their duties. The question arises here: Who is responsible for the safety of Palestinian journalists who are doing their job after putting themselves and their families in extreme danger? Two global news organisations recently urged the concerned authorities in Tel Aviv not to target media persons working in the war zones. However, the Israelis have made it clear that they could not take any responsibility for the safety of journalists.

There is a difference between being unable or unwilling to take responsibility for the safety of journalists and to deliberately target and kill them. Israel has been repeatedly accused of committing war crimes and of violating Human Rights. One may recall the sad demise of Ayat Kaddoura. The 27-year-old Palestinian journalist and podcast presenter, along with an unknown number of her family members, died on November 20, 2023 while capturing Israeli bombardment in her video camera in northern Gaza’s Beit Lahia region.

Before her death, Ayat posted a video of herself on social media, titled The Last Video, saying: “This could be my last video. The occupation fired frightening sound bombs and distributed flyers to evacuate the area… and all the people evacuated the place and we are the only ones remaining, and I am at home and I do not know where the people have gone.” Kaddoura concluded: “The situation is frightening and the scene is very terrifying. We had big dreams, but our dream now is to be killed in one piece so they know who we are… Lord, have mercy on us.” She finished the video with a cry resulting from her heartbreak and the oppression. The Israelis did not spare Ayat and her family. An Israeli bomb wiped out the entire family in a fraction of second.

Journalists are just a few survivors among countless civilians. The difference between media persons and common people is little, as they want to bring forth the truth and real information. Unfortunately, media persons often leave this world while documenting the true chapter of history and unmasking the vindictive traders of lies.

Boundless Ocean of Politics on Facebook

Boundless Ocean of Politics on Twitter

Boundless Ocean of Politics on Linkedin

Contact: kousdas@gmail.com

Published by Koushik Das

Koushik Das (born on May 16, 1976 in Kolkata) is a career journalist. Based in the Indian capital of New Delhi, Koushik writes mainly about foreign policies and current geopolitical issues, and rarely about other topics. His own political ideas are highly influenced by Antonio Gramsci, Louis Althusser, Michel Foucault, Michael Oakeshott and others. English philosopher and political theorist Oakeshott (Dec 11, 1901-Dec 19, 1990) says that “in political activity, men sail a boundless and bottomless sea. There is neither harbour for shelter nor floor for anchorage, neither starting-place, nor appointed destination. But we have to keep afloat”. (Rationalism in Politics, 1962) As a student of Political Science, Koushik loves to share his views on issues, which have great impacts on his thought process (and also on India, South Asia and of course on the global community), with his readers through his website – Boundless Ocean of Politics. By doing so, he tries to keep himself afloat. You will find some of his articles in https://inserbia.info/today/ (https://inserbia.info/today/author/kou_das13_i/), as he has been trying to assess the global geopolitics since 2003. You can also mail him at kousdas@gmail.com View all posts by Koushik Das