Fatima Hassouna, Ismail Al -Ghoul, Rami Al -Rifai, Muhammad Abu Hatab, Adham Hassouna, Muntasir Al -Sawaf, Helmy Al -Faqawi, Samer Abu Daqqa, Hamza Al -Dahdouh ..
On the day of the Arab media, while the activities are held and the words are received, there are 209 Palestinian journalists who died since October 7, 2023 under the fire of the occupation in the Gaza Strip, not because they were in the range of “random fire”, but rather because they were the target, they were killed because they are transferring what the world does not want to see, they bombed in their homes, or during their work, or at a rare moment, with their families, children, and colleagues.
Everywhere else in this world, there are laws that protect the journalist, agreements, treaties and decisions from the United Nations and the Security Council, stating that the word should not be killed, and that the camera holder has the right to return alive to his home, but in Gaza these texts are violated every day, in broad daylight and at the sight of the world, and translate into bombs over the heads of journalists.
What is going on in Gaza is not only a war against isolated civilians; Rather, a war on the witnesses, the journalist there does not have a protective jacket, or a legal guarantee, not even a permanent internet, all he has is his deep belief that the words of the truth is a duty and that his silence is betrayal.
What the heart does more is that celebrating the Arab Media Day comes in the midst of this deadly silence, where the truth is assassinated every day, and no one is held accountable. What is the benefit of celebrating “freedom of expression” while our colleagues are killed because they insist on practicing it?
The systematic targeting of journalists in Gaza is not merely a violation of the law, it is a crime that is fully pillar, a clear declaration that those who narrate the truth will be the price of his blood, which is imposed on us, as journalists, as institutions, as nations, to review our position, we do not want more laws and legislation, but we want laws that apply real protection mechanisms, and penalties that impose those who intentionally kill the ink and camera.
Despite all this, the Palestinian media did not break and did not stop. A greeting to all those who are still there, in the field, they send us the picture before the bombing extinguishes, and they write the last line before they are silent forever.
