‘You gave everything’: West Bank journalists honour fallen Gaza colleagues

Hebron, occupied West Bank – Among the much than 67,190 Palestinians killed successful Israel’s warfare connected Gaza, determination has been a peculiarly dense toll connected journalists and media workers. More than 184 journalists person been killed by Israel successful the war, including 10 Al Jazeera unit members, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

Palestinian journalists successful the occupied West Bank were lone capable to look connected astatine their colleagues’ sacrifice successful Gaza from afar. But they person besides faced their ain challenges, arsenic Israel continues its near-daily signifier of raids passim the Palestinian territory.

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As Palestinians successful Gaza expressed alleviation astatine the news of the ceasefire deal, journalists successful Hebron, successful the confederate West Bank, were documenting however Palestinians were being restricted from moving astir ample parts of the metropolis due to the fact that of the influx of Jewish Israelis arsenic a effect of the Jewish vacation of Sukkot.

Among the areas wherever Palestinians’ question has been restricted is the Ibrahimi Mosque, besides known arsenic the Cave of the Patriarchs, successful cardinal Hebron.

As the journalists navigated the Israeli roadworthy closures, they sent their ain messages to their colleagues successful Gaza – who were forced to endure 2 years of warfare marked by displacement, hunger, and loss.

Palestinian photojournalist Mamoun Wazwaz [Mosab Shawer/Al Jazeera]

Mamoun Wazwaz, photojournalist

“A 1000 blessings to each of you – those who enactment with the planetary agencies, TV channels, websites, vigor stations, and successful the field. You gave everything and sacrificed immensely. I commune that your suffering ends aft 2 years of hell, and that you ne'er unrecorded done different war. Your connection was the astir ineffable and almighty successful history. You shook the satellite – due to the fact that you conveyed the truth. No 1 could person done what you did.

“The intelligence and affectional interaction of those who died volition ne'er fade. [I retrieve erstwhile Al Jazeera Gaza bureau chief] Wael Dahdouh stood implicit his son’s assemblage and said, ‘They took revenge connected america done our children,’ – I felt those words chopped heavy into my heart. I saw the footage connected tv and broke down crying. Imagine however his colleagues, who unrecorded it with him, indispensable person felt.

“We unrecorded present successful Hebron successful changeless interaction with the Israeli concern forces – determination are predominant incursions and subject checkpoints. After the warfare began, pursuing October 7, 2023, the confrontations and clashes were intense.

“They treated america arsenic portion of the war, not arsenic neutral observers, and utilized each imaginable means to combat us. Many times, I would accidental goodbye to my household arsenic if it were the past time.”

Malak al-Atrash [Mosab Shawer/Al Jazeera]

“You journalists successful Gaza sacrificed your lives for your radical and homeland. You risked everything to convey the truth, the suffering, and the crimes against Gaza’s people. Whenever 1 of you is killed, I consciousness arsenic it I’ve mislaid idiosyncratic myself – arsenic if I were the 1 wounded oregon arrested.

“You carried the connection until your past breath, and you ne'er stopped. You animate america to proceed the way you and the generations earlier you began. Thank you for each photo, each shot, each infinitesimal you captured for the satellite to spot the many, galore faces of war.

“War meant displacement. War meant famine. War meant being targeted by the military. War meant stopping education. Through your work, you made the satellite spot it all.”

Raed al-Sharif [Mosab Shawer/Al Jazeera]

Raed al-Sharif, journalist

“My feelings are conflicted contiguous aft the ceasefire was announced. We successful the West Bank followed everything happening successful Gaza, wherever hundreds of journalists were killed oregon wounded, immoderate losing limbs. What happened was a existent crime, a genocide. Journalists [were particularly targeted] due to the fact that the concern doesn’t privation reports to travel retired of Gaza.

“Honestly, I consciousness ashamed arsenic a Palestinian journalist. Despite our sacrifices successful the West Bank, they don’t magnitude to adjacent a driblet successful the oversea of what our colleagues successful Gaza experienced. They offered their lives and bodies – the astir precious sacrifice of all.

“It’s our work arsenic Palestinian journalists to transportation the dependable of our oppressed radical and proceed the journey. The ones who affected maine astir are our martyred colleagues – similar the al-Ghad cameraman Yazan al-Zuweidi, and Al Jazeera’s Anas al-Sharif and Mohammed Qreiqeh. As for Nidal al-Wahidi, he’s been missing since October 7 [2023] – we don’t cognize if he’s detained, martyred oregon wounded. That lack hurts profoundly – helium vanished from existence.