Resilient Voices: How Reporters in Gaza Overcome Hunger and Trauma to Keep the Story Alive, Says CPJ Regional Director
In the wake of the recent Gaza ceasefire, the plight of Palestinian journalists remains dire. Despite the cessation of hostilities, the environment for media professionals in Gaza is fraught with danger and devastation. Newsrooms have been decimated, numerous reporters are either displaced or detained, and international media access is still severely restricted by Israeli authorities.
According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), the year 2024 marked the deadliest year for journalists on record, with approximately 70% of those killed globally targeted in Gaza by Israeli forces. Yet, amid this chaos, local reporters continue to document the catastrophic impact on their communities, enduring constant threats to their safety and well-being.
In an exclusive interview with the Tehran Times, Sara Qudah, CPJ’s Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, sheds light on the grim circumstances faced by journalists in Gaza. She also discusses CPJ’s ongoing efforts to challenge Israel’s restrictions on independent media access and their broader mission to achieve justice for the hundreds of journalists who have been killed, injured, or silenced in conflict zones across the region.
The following is the text of the interview:
With the recent Gaza ceasefire, do you see any improvement in the safety or working conditions of Palestinian journalists on the ground?
While the ceasefire has provided a temporary halt to open aggression, there is scant evidence of any substantial improvements in the safety or working conditions for Palestinian journalists. Unfortunately, many areas remain completely devastated and inaccessible, with cities like Rafah and Beit Hanoun effectively erased from the map, leaving journalists from these regions either displaced or in urgent need of housing.
Although seven Palestinian journalists were released from Israeli prisons due to the ceasefire agreement, the overall situation has not improved. Israel maintains a strict ban on international media access, and no new permissions have been granted since the ceasefire began.
On October 5, 2025, CPJ filed an amicus brief in support of the Foreign Press Association’s petition to the Israeli Supreme Court, demanding the immediate lifting of the ban on independent media access to Gaza. CPJ argues that this blanket ban is unlawful, even in wartime, and violates Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Journalists in Gaza face severe threats from various factions. Just days after the ceasefire, journalist Saleh Aljafarawi was shot and killed in Gaza City, allegedly by members of an armed Palestinian group. His tragic death underscores the persistent dangers for journalists even when hostilities have subsided.
According to CPJ’s data, Israel has been responsible for the deaths of 237 journalists and media workers, including:
- 197 Palestinians in Gaza
- 31 Yemenis in Yemen
- 6 Lebanese in Lebanon
- 3 Iranians in Iran
The year 2024 stands out as the deadliest year for journalists in CPJ’s history, with almost 70% of those killed by Israeli forces. To date, no investigations or accountability measures have been initiated to bring those responsible for killing journalists to justice, exacerbating the climate of fear and danger for media professionals.
In several instances, state actors have attempted to discredit journalists posthumously, alleging affiliations with militant groups without credible evidence. What role does CPJ envision in ensuring justice and accountability for journalists killed during the war?
CPJ’s role extends far beyond merely documenting the deaths, imprisonments, and injuries of journalists. For CPJ, documentation is the first step in a broader initiative aimed at achieving justice, enhancing press freedom, and ensuring accountability for those who harm or kill journalists.
CPJ actively challenges policies that foster impunity. For instance, in October 2025, CPJ submitted an amicus brief to the Israeli Supreme Court, supporting a legal petition to lift the 741-day ban on international media access to Gaza. This legal action represents CPJ’s shift from advocacy to direct legal intervention, asserting that denying access to independent media violates international law and hampers accountability efforts.
Additionally, CPJ acts as a global watchdog for press freedom, continuously pressuring governments and international entities to uphold protections for journalists and to conduct thorough investigations into their killings.
CPJ regularly calls upon all parties—both state and non-state actors—to ensure that journalists are not targeted and that the murder of media workers does not go unpunished. When journalists are killed, CPJ demands rigorous, independent investigations rather than silence or impunity.
Furthermore, CPJ provides support to local journalists through emergency funding, safety equipment, digital security tools, and psychological assistance. This direct aid is crucial for enabling journalists to continue their work and document events despite attacks on their communities, newsrooms, or families.
The persistence of journalists amid unimaginable hardship reflects both deep courage and a profound sense of responsibility.
What are the primary challenges CPJ faces when investigating journalist killings in active war zones, particularly in areas like Gaza where access is severely restricted?
Investigating the killings of journalists in war zones like Gaza presents significant challenges, rendering CPJ’s work both perilous and complex. One of the most pressing obstacles is a lack of access. Israel has maintained a stringent ban on international media access for over two years, and even during ceasefires, this ban remains in effect.
Without the ability to independently enter the territory, CPJ and other watchdogs struggle to verify incidents. They rely on eyewitness accounts and reports from journalists on the ground, but internet blockades can hinder communication and slow down the process of gathering information.
Moreover, power outages and internet blackouts further isolate journalists, complicating contact with external parties and delaying the transmission of data or testimonies. Institutional obstructions also present challenges; military authorities often refuse to provide relevant information about attacks.
There are no public investigations or credible military inquiries into these incidents, and in some cases, state actors attempt to smear journalists after their deaths, claiming they were militants without providing credible evidence.
CPJ rigorously adheres to verification standards, only attributing a journalist’s death to a specific actor when facts are clearly established and corroborated by multiple sources. In volatile and restricted environments like Gaza, meeting these standards can be time-consuming and may impede justice.
The resilience of Gaza journalists is both heartbreaking and deeply inspiring.
The destruction of media organizations in Gaza has profoundly affected Palestinian journalists’ ability to tell their own stories and document the ongoing conflict. With newsrooms destroyed, equipment damaged, and many journalists displaced or killed, local media infrastructure has been severely compromised.
This devastation has silenced essential voices that are critical not only for local audiences but also for global understanding of the situation in Gaza. Local journalists possess unique insights and connections to their communities, as well as cultural knowledge and linguistic fluency that foreign journalists often lack.
When Palestinian newsrooms are obliterated, the ability to maintain grounded, contextual, and community-oriented journalism becomes almost impossible. Many journalists find themselves in survival mode, struggling to secure shelter, electricity, and food.
Some have been forced to cease their work entirely due to trauma, injury, or the complete loss of their equipment and facilities. As CPJ has documented, some journalists are now operating from tents, while others report while enduring hunger, all facing the persistent threat of death.
As someone directly involved in documenting these tragedies, how do you personally interpret the resilience of Palestinian journalists who continue to report despite immense risks?
The resilience of Palestinian journalists in Gaza is nothing short of remarkable. Despite the looming threats of death, displacement, trauma, and loss, many continue to report—not because it is safe, but because it is essential.
Their determination in the face of unimaginable challenges reflects profound courage and a deep sense of duty. For many of these journalists, reporting transcends mere employment; it is a means of survival, resistance, and accountability. They recognize that if they do not share their stories, those narratives may never see the light of day.
They view their role not just as journalists, but as the last bastion of truth connecting their people to the world. CPJ has highlighted stories of reporters who continue to file reports even after losing their homes, carrying equipment through debris, and conducting interviews while grieving family members. Some endure hunger, sleep in tents, or work without safety gear or access to secure internet connections. Yet, they press on—because the truth is too important to abandon.
This resilience is both heart-wrenching and profoundly inspiring. It illustrates the critical function of journalism in chronicling human suffering, injustice, and resistance. Moreover, it underscores the urgent need to protect those who risk everything to bring us the truth. Their bravery demands not just our respect but also our action. It is imperative for the international community to ensure that these journalists are safeguarded, supported, and heard.
