"In Gaza, journalists are not just relaying the tragedies of displacement, loss, and starvation. They are experiencing it firsthand in all of its extremities, too. But when journalists are also targets, who reports on them? More than 270 Palestinian media personnel have been killed in 21 months. Who defended them? This was the duty of international journalists: to stand by their peers, to serve as their armour, to amplify their voices." Text Mariam Barghouti | Photography Ahmed Younes & Ali Jadall

The eyes of truth 

From Gaza comes the clearest record of our time, witnessed and told by journalists who risk their lives to preserve it. Their truth must guide us all. When they speak, we must listen; it is our utmost duty now.   September 4th, 2025

AS ALWAYS PLEASE GO TO THE LINK TO READ GOOD ARTICLES (or quotes) IN FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and conversations) THAT EMPOWER DECENCY, DIGNITY, JUSTICE & PEACE... and hopefully Palestine, or at least fair and just laws and policies]

https://www.dazed.me/feature/the-eyes-of-truth-gaza-journalists

Text Mariam Barghouti | Photography Ahmed Younes & Ali Jadallah 

[CLICK THE LINK TO SEE THE TELLING PHOTOS]

At the time of writing, at least eight journalists have been killed by Israel, adding to the over 270 Palestinian media personnel killed in Gaza during the last 21 months. Among them is photojournalist Mariam Riyad Abu Dagga, who was photographed and interviewed for this feature. She was murdered by Israel in a targeted attack on Nasser Hospital, alongside four other journalists: Ahmed Abu Aziz, Hussam al-Masri, Mohammad Salama, and Moaz Abu Taha. She was 33 years old and is survived by her son, Ghaith.

 International journalists choose calm scenes—they don’t want the scenes of blood, the screaming. But as local journalists, we live the moment in the field. It’s not just the event, it’s us in the event.” – Mariam Riyad Abu Dagga

On 10 August, shortly after my peer Anas Al-Sharif was savagely killed along with an entire Al Jazeera crew that included Mohammed Qraiqea, Mohamed Nofal, and Ibrahim Thaher as well as freelancers Moamen Aliwa and Mohammed al-Khalidi, Hind Khoudary took to X, addressing media outlets worldwide. 

“I will not speak to foreign media about the killing of Palestinian journalists,” wrote the award-winning Palestinian journalist. “I will not sit on your global channels to be part of a segment you’ll forget by tomorrow.” Capturing their hypocrisy and hollow coverage in a matter of words, she added: “To you, we are just a headline—a tragedy to consume, not colleagues to defend.”

In Gaza, journalists are not just relaying the tragedies of displacement, loss, and starvation. They are experiencing it firsthand in all of its extremities, too. But when journalists are also targets, who reports on them? More than 270 Palestinian media personnel have been killed in 21 months. Who defended them? This was the duty of international journalists: to stand by their peers, to serve as their armour, to amplify their voices.

Instead, western coverage of Palestinians is marred by a repeated pattern of contradiction, claiming to uphold objective, non-partisan reporting while framing Israel’s atrocity crimes as “self-defence”. Between what is said and what is actually happening are the Palestinian journalists on the ground, who continue to personify the essence of journalism by holding power accountable and preserving memory against systemic erasure.

Displaced, not defeated   Nour Swirki

Journalists are journalists, not superheroes   Shrouq Al Aila, Hind Khoudary

The sister, the daughter, the mother, the missing  Hind, Nour, Shrouq, and Mariam 

Murder as a passing note  Mariam Riyad Abu Dagga

Absent media, present youth   Renad Attallah

It doesn’t end    ... Say their names, cite their work, defend their lives.