Journalists’ vests do not work in Gaza

Mehr News Agency, International Group – Azar Mahdavan: The Zionist regime has been free from aggression and crime for more than 300 days and Genocide in Gaza has not stopped any illegal and criminal actions. One of the dimensions of the Zionist regime’s crimes in Gaza is the martyrdom of hundreds of journalists who are protected by international laws and regulations of war and must be protected from aggression by the conflicting parties within the framework of transparent transmission of news and information and developments in the field. Contrary to the claims of the Zionists, the attack on journalists in Gaza has gone beyond random and unavoidable circumstances and has taken on a methodical and completely intelligent dimension. By making the situation in Gaza unsafe for journalists, the Zionist regime is trying to keep the world ignorant of the developments and crimes in this region, but the mission of journalists and citizen journalists in Gaza does not allow such a thing to happen.

Mehr news agency’s international and foreign news section has been trying to expose the war crimes of the Zionist regime not only to the Iranian audience but also to the audiences in the form of various news, reports and interviews since the beginning of the Gaza war. Other countries reflect five foreign languages ​​(Turkish, Arabic, English, Urdu and Kurdish). The conversation with experts and officials of Gaza was one of the measures taken by the General Directorate of Foreign News in order to reflect the oppression of the Palestinian people. /a> organized a conversation with a Palestinian journalist living in Gaza on the occasion of Journalist’s Day so that this time the voice of Palestinian journalists will be heard; Journalists who, despite the lack of security, are still trying to tell the world about the realities of Gaza. The detailed interview with “Mahmoud Bassam”, a reporter living in the Gaza Strip:

Mr. Bassam, 165 journalists have been martyred in Gaza up to the moment of conducting this interview. In your opinion, why does the Zionist regime turn its back on the killing of members of the media in Gaza?

The Zionist regime is deliberately trying to destroy the truth and reality in the genocides in Gaza. The occupiers do not make any difference between normal people, the sick and injured, and journalists, and they deliberately seek to kill journalists, because they are afraid of conveying the realities of Gaza to the public opinion of the world and the voice of the people of Gaza being heard in the world. The occupiers do not make any difference between ordinary people, the sick and injured, and journalists, and they deliberately seek to kill journalists, because they are afraid of conveying the realities of Gaza to the public opinion of the world and the voice of the people of Gaza being heard in the world. We know that we will be martyred in the war against Gaza, but we do our duty with little means; In Gaza, bulletproof vests cannot protect journalists either. In addition to fighting against journalists and reporters in Gaza, they simultaneously prevent the publication of content related to Palestinians on social networks.

One ​​of the journalist’s martyrs was Ismail Al-Helu, who was among the journalists who worked in the north of Gaza and tried to convey the images and reality to the world through the Al-Jazeera satellite network. He was broadcasting live images to the world after 10 months of war in Gaza, while the occupiers are trying to silence these voices and destroy the people of Gaza. We journalists are still present in the field and even though we know that we will be martyred during the Zionist regime’s war against Gaza, we continue to fulfill our duty and despite the very few facilities we have, including the lack of anti-aircraft vests. Bullets, we are in dangerous areas. Of course, bulletproof vests cannot protect journalists from existing dangers, as the martyr Saeed al-Tawil and a number of other journalists were martyred while wearing these vests.

You are now in Rafah. What are the conditions in Rafah for the safety of journalists?

I am now around the Rafah area, which is one of the most dangerous areas in Gaza. Before leaving the center of this city and during the news coverage of the invaders’ attack on Rafah city and the heavy rain of rockets in this area, I was injured in the hand, and I went through the treatment process for a long time, and after the treatment, I returned to my journalistic career. Now it is necessary for us to be present in the field and convey the facts. Some time ago, the occupiers withdrew from parts of the city, but they proceeded to blow up and destroy Palestinian homes and even targeted civilians. The security situation for journalists in Gaza is very difficult and none of the journalists can go inside Rafah city and we cover all the reports from outside Rafah. Anyone who travels inside Rafah is exposed to baran rockets or shootings or arrests. Rafah is facing genocide and massive destruction.

What has been observed in the behavior of Gaza journalists in these last 10 months is the height of their courage and bravery. Despite the fact that many Gazan journalists have even lost their loved ones in this war and despite the fact that they themselves are not safe, they still appear in front of the camera to report the oppression of the Palestinian people. What is the reason for your endurance and strength, Palestinian journalists?

The factor of resistance and persistence of us journalists is that we are people of reality and truth. We must convey the truth to the world, we must be the voice of our people and participate in their sorrow and troubles. We must show the world the truth of the crimes committed against us. Journalists are always exposed to attacks by the Zionist regime, but they still want to carry out their mission in this war with strong determination. We are sworn to stick to our profession and convey the facts.

The reporter here either becomes a martyr himself or takes pictures of the martyr or moves the martyrs or gets injured himself. We are united and stable and will remain in Gaza to show the world the facts of the genocide against the people of Gaza. We are here with our cameras to fight the lies of the anti-Gaza media. Currently, there is no news agency from abroad in Gaza, and we are the people of Gaza who must be the voice of our nation. Journalists are also exposed to the baran missiles of the Zionist regime. My own house was targeted by a rocket attack and several members of my family were martyred, one of them was my brother and colleague. Mohammad Bassam al-Jamal was also martyred in the rain of rockets at his home. We are a part of this nation and we are exposed to Zionist attack.

Please tell us how you and your colleagues felt when you heard the news of Ismail Haniyeh’s martyrdom. Did this cause you disappointment or did you prefer to continue being the voice of resistance as members of the media?

The martyrdom of Ismail Haniyeh was very sad, he was a man of great deeds. He was a man of challenge, steadfastness and perseverance and always spoke about his nation. We considered him our father. He had given three of his children and many grandchildren to the country and many members of his family were martyred. He understood our feelings and had lived with our hardships and tribulations. We always felt hopeful when he gave a speech.

Now, although Ismail Haniyeh has been martyred, there are thousands of other Ismail Haniyehs in Gaza. The martyrdom of great commanders and leaders is only the absence of their bodies and their thinking remains. With the testimony of the commanders and elders, although a person passes away from us, his vision and method remain, and his power, words, and determination continue. Also Although Ismail Haniyeh has been martyred, there are thousands of other Ismail Haniyehs in Gaza. The martyrdom of great commanders and leaders is only the absence of their bodies and their thinking remains. With the testimony of commanders and elders, even though a person is gone from us, his vision and method remain, and his power, words, determination and determination will continue. It remains and journalists and all Palestinians follow this approach and thinking. In the future, other worthy leaders will replace Ismail Haniyeh and form thousands of Ismail Haniyeh. In the past, these events happened to Abdulaziz Al-Rentisi, Fathi Shaghaghi and others, but other leaders have followed this path.

We, the reporters of Mehr News Agency and other media of our country, tried to mediate the oppression and at the same time the courage of the people of Gaza. We will continue this path until the liberation of Palestine. On behalf of your colleagues in Gaza, if you have any suggestions or requests, please…

We hope that international news agencies and media and all media in the world will convey the realities of Gaza and should not change their policies until our final victory. Our victory is close by God’s permission. This war must finally end. We must always keep the issue of Palestine alive among the people of the world. The issue of Palestine will not end after the Gaza war, but will live on. We hope that you will be the voice of Palestine for the whole world and that the whole world will know what is happening in Palestine and Gaza and how people live there and how they struggle to continue their lives.

The people of Gaza in the northern regions show a very high level of perseverance, but they never waver or hesitate. Contrary to the claims of the international media and some Persian Gulf media, the Palestinians are not leaving their country and not selling their lands. We are living in very difficult conditions, but at the same time, we continue our path with strength and perseverance and hope that the world will hear the voice of Gaza. I hope that you will be successful and stable in your efforts and mission regarding the Gaza Strip and that you will be able to convey the facts in the shadow of the continuation of the Zionist regime’s war.