Palestinian radio presenter Abdullah al-Maghari hosts a programme titled “Hadith al-Nas” (Talk of the People) from his tent in Gaza’s Bureij camp as a way to amplify Gazans’ voices, share their concerns, deliver critical news amid war and be “closer to the people and their concerns”.
As Israel has systematically destroyed media infrastructure in Gaza, Abdullah’s goal is to provide a substitute platform for people to express their struggles and stay informed about events around them.
Amid power shortages, noisy surroundings, and the ongoing devastation of war, Abdullah’s show is constantly facing a challenge to survive. But he perseveres, taking calls from people and offering a vital platform for the voices of Gaza, delivering critical news, and addressing the struggles of life in the besieged enclave.
“The show provides us with all the news after months of war and Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip. And with the internet and electricity not available all day long, it provides us with political and entertainment news for us and our children,” said one listener.
Journalists like Abdullah who continue to work against all odds are frequently victims of propaganda campaigns that question their integrity, accusing them of working with combatants or having participated in October 7 attacks.
Since October 2023 Israel has killed at least 222 Palestinian journalists and media workers in Gaza. Rights groups have confirmed dozens of the slain journalists were directly targeted by Israel.
Last week, Palestinian journalists held a press briefing to share their experiences of covering Israel’s war on Gaza over the past year and a half. Palestinian journalist Abubaker Abed said: “We’ve been immolated, incinerated, dismembered, and disembowelled, and recently, we have been freezing to death. What more ways should you be seeing us killed in so that you can move and act and stop the hell inflicted upon us? Even the press vest we’re wearing right now marks us as a target. They do not protect us at all. Maybe if we were Ukrainians or of any other citizenship with blonde hair and blue eyes, the world would rage and rant for us. But because we are Palestinians, we have only one right, which is to die and be maimed.”
Abed emphasised their determination to continue reporting on Israel’s onslaught on Palestinians despite losing loved ones and colleagues and being targeted by Israeli forces, adding: “There are no words to describe what we have been going through. You have seen our bodies, how they have become fragile, skinny and fatigued. But we never stopped. We never stopped to tell you the truth, to narrate our stories and to tell you that we are being genocided, to move your dead consciences, to help a population that has seen every sort of torture and tasted every type of death.”
In spite of their fellow journalists’ plight being livestreamed daily for months, Western mainstream media has largely remained silent on their continued targeting by Israel.
This story first appeared on RadioInfo.asia