Gaza, May 31, 2024
For their extraordinary bravery and never-say-die attitude, Palestinian journalists who covered the Gaza war won the 2024 World Press Freedom Hero Award. Presented by the International Press Institute (IPI) and International Media Support (IMS), this prestigious prize appreciates the commitment of these journalists who face severe risks daily.
Among those given the award are journalists from Gaza, including Al Jazeera’s Wael Dahdouh, head of the Gaza bureau for Al Jazeera Arabic, whose relatives were murdered in an Israel air raid last month. At the same time, Bilal Jadallah, a father figure of journalism, lost his life through Israeli bombardment in October 2023.
According to the estimates, not less than 105 journalists and other media practitioners have lost their lives since October 2023. Of these, the cause of the vast majority is Palestinian journalists who died as a result of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza.
The Award Ceremony to be held at the IPI World Congress and Media Innovation Festival in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, on May 23, will have Frane Maroevic, the IPI Executive Director, urge Israel to observe its duties to journalists and also non-combatants whenever we are in situations of war while calling for an immediate stop of any further killings of journalists in Gaza.
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This award comes during a critical time when there have been heavy losses on the part of the media industry due to the war in Gaza. Twenty-six journalists and media personnel have died since October 2023, as disclosed by UNESCO, but they are also looking at some other cases.
To enable these journalists to remain safe and keep on reporting, it provides them with basic needs like medicines, foodstuffs, clean water, and tents where they can also sleep at night.
The importance of winning press freedom is overwhelming, and the World Press Freedom Hero Award is a vivid reminder of this. It is also a clear indication of the vital role news people play in ensuring that people are well-informed, especially in times of uncertainty.
It is proof that even under the most dangerous conditions, Palestine’s journalists remain dedicated to their job.
