(A question to every American, whether secular or churchian - how aware are you of what's happening in the world and particularly - whose country is providing the ways and means to carry out the atrocities committed? The second part of the question might be - do you even care? - CL)
I want to introduce two Palestinian photojournalists who have deeply inspired me, and who I hope to meet someday. I have been lucky enough to come in contact with Adel Al-Hawajri and Hosni Salah via Instagram and WhatsApp where they have shared over 200 photos with ScheerPost. The contrast could not be more stark between my position, a journalist working from the comfort of my own home, and theirs, journalists targeted by the state of Israel, journalists whose entire homeland has been reduced to rubble, journalists who cannot simply close an application on their phones and escape the daily horrors in Gaza.
Al-Hawajri and Salah live in the besieged Gaza Strip and work together as photographers. Since digitally meeting them, Al-Hawajri and Salah haven’t left my thoughts, serving as inspiration when I took part in antiwar protests in Los Angeles and experienced violent encounters with police on my campus. I found it difficult to enjoy the graduation festivities this year as the university administration did everything except recognize the reason why there is nationwide tension on campuses, or acknowledge the lives that have been lost since October. Throughout the school year, I focused my thoughts on the countless Palestinian students who will never take another breath, let alone walk across a stage to accept a diploma.
The two photographers are no strangers to the suffering I have watched through my phone screen for the last few years, and especially in the last eight months. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, Israel has killed 111 journalists and media workers in Gaza while many others are missing or have been injured or arrested.
Despite the extremely high risk that comes with practicing journalism under Israeli occupation and bombardment, Hwarje and Salah continue to put their lives on the line in order to document their reality............
Read full text: https://www.unz.com/article/from-the-ground-in-gaza/#comment-6705907