Within one month at least 44 Palestinian journalists were killed by Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip since October 7. Some journalists were killed with their entire families when their homes were bombarded. At the same time, many journalists have lost some members of their families in the Israeli attacks. 25 Palestinian journalists were detained. Dozens of social media activists detained for their writings on social media platforms, confirmed by PSJ.

Journalists in Gaza face particularly high risks as they try to cover the conflict in the face of an Israeli ground assault on Gaza City, devastating Israeli airstrikes, disrupted communications, and extensive power outages.

Journalist Plestia Alaqad from Palestine who is struggling and facing challenges every day during news coverage in Gaza. She expressed her every day challenges and also her experience in a diary.     

“I’ve always loved journalism and Palestine, and I’m glad I was able to share part of the truth or part of what’s happening with the world. I am still in the hospital, I tried to evacuate and go to where my parents are, but I could not find a car or taxi and I need to like walk for an hour or more in which I don’t have energy and my back hurts a lot from wearing the press vest which I’m sure it doesn’t protect from anything but at least it makes me feel that I did what I am supposed to do to protect myself… Oh to add, I lost cellular connection, I can’t call or send anyone a message but there is still internet at the hospital so I can post this. There is still time before the night comes, I will see if I will have any options and I will keep you updated if I could.”

26/10/23

“You know how a person usually gets used to things after a while? Its day 20 and no I am not used to this and I’m sure no one is or will be. I wake up every day wondering if it’ll be my last day or not. I feel selfish when I am able to drink water or eat and I know that others can’t..I’m afraid. Of how things will be when this all ends. I just keep thinking of how lonely wounded men, women and children feel in the hospital. I keep thinking of this child who is waiting for his mom to come back to life and this lady who is waiting for her family to get out of the rubble Gaza feels so lonely and betrayed”.  

29/10/23

“Its 12:15 or 1:15 I am not sure. I stopped posting on Instagram from my journal because I was planning to publish a book after this genocide ends, I’ve always wanted to publish a book, I wanted to publish a poetry book, similar to rypi kaurs book. She inspires me lot. But now whenever I try to write a poem nothing literally nothing…the poem is a blank page with tears. I remember 09/10 the day my house got partially demolished, my family, the neighbors and I, we all slept in the hospital that day and I thought to myself that’s the worst thing that could happen then 13/10 happened where more than 1 million people had to evacuate to the south, I remember having a mental break down and crying a lot that day, I felt that I will be stuck in Gaza and I will be killed there and no one will know anything about me. I saw a journalist that I know and he reassured me that its fine and we will be able to evacuate eventually but my mind couldn’t stop thinking of terrible scenarios however, I survived that day and I thought to myself once again that’s the worst point possible. I went to the south where its supposed to be a safe zone, but not a single minute I felt safe on the 27^th of October Israel officially cut service in Gaza, there was barely any cellular connection before that but no service at all?? That’s hell!! The fact that you can’t call an ambulance or family members abroad or family members in Gaza is just terrible. I studied about world war one and two and I read Anne Franks diary (I got it as a gift) but I never really understand or imagined them, like I thought that’s something we only read about it like its history, its not something that’ll happen in 2023 it’s the 23^rd day and until now my mind can’t process the past days I don’t want to be a history, I don’t want to see Gaza demolished, more than it’s already demolished, I don’t want to see people getting killed. All I want this to stop ASAP. I reached to a point where I’m afraid to close my eyes I see the images of the kids and some voices keep on haunting me.”

31/10/23

“It’s around 4:00 in the morning, I’m tired but I can’t sleep. I can’t believe its day 25, it’s been 25 days without electricity, without access to clean water and with barely any food or fuel. It’s crazy how all what were asking for is a ceasefire; get all what we are getting is….. Life was never normal in Gaza, but I miss my life before this genocide. I miss walking up and going to work, I miss saying, ‘I don’t have anything to wear”, now? I literally don’t have anything to wear; the jacket that I am always wearing is not even mine. I literally miss everything, I used to be a perfectionist, if I wrote a word wrong in my diary, I used to tear the page, I hate seeing any mistakes, I used to write lot but rarely post any because I have certain standards in my mind that should meet. I used to always go to the salon and do my nails, I rarely put nail polish by myself because I want my nails to look perfect. I used to always work overtime and go above and beyond because I want to give my best. I am not the same person now and there is nothing perfect about my life. I try to be optimistic and I keep asking myself, “What do you want to do when all of that ends?” But I don’t have answer; I am just hoping my house won’t be damaged more than it already is. I asked my 15 years old cousin the same question and her answer was she wants to eat and my sister answer was she wants to go back to her room, she used to spend most of her time in her room. I used to always do self reflection before I sleep and see how I can be a better version of myself, but now I sleep, I just think of other people, my people, I think of all the martyrs and how they all had dreams and a life that they dreamed of, I think of the people that all there family got killed and how lonely they feel, I think of the wounded people who are all alone at the hospital and they have to deal with physical and mental pain and I think of Gaza how in a glimpse of an eye it became a ghost town…When I walk in the streets all I can see is demolished houses, buildings, stores, mosques, cafes, restaurants, schools and hospitals…I don’t recognize my hometown anymore but part of me still feels optimistic. I have faith in God.

Good morning, for the 1st time in weeks, I dreamt a nice dream, I don’t really remember it, but what I know is I woke up happy because of the dream. I hope something good happens today.”