Nasser Abu Bark, president of the Palestinian Syndicate, spoke at the Second European Agora for Journalism in Brussels, drawing attention on the ongoing crisis in Gaza. He stated that the Israeli occupation is directly responsible for the “genocide” in Gaza, emphasising that this is the first time the world was not just hearing about this mass atrocity, but witnessing it in real-time, live.
Abu Bark highlighted the severe challenges faced by Palestinian journalists, with more than 180 journalists killed and over 90% of media institutions in Gaza destroyed. Of the 103 media institutions in Gaza, 93 have been completely wiped out, and the remaining 10% have been partially damaged. He pointed out that these attacks reflected not only physical destruction but a deliberate attempt to silence those documenting the truth.
Despite working under constant bombardment and extreme conditions, Palestinian journalists have continued to deliver information to the world. Their resilience has enabled the international community to see the full extent of the violence in Gaza, offering a stark reality that cannot be ignored, Abu Bark argues. This exposure has, consequently, sparked widespread calls for action, with people around the world protesting and demanding an end to the violence.
As a further result, this has arguably shifted the narrative, breaking the silence surrounding the suffering of the Palestinian people, leading to urgent demands for an immediate halt to the war, a message which further solidifies the Palestinian press.
Work Done by Nour Hamdi (IPSI)