A movement against silencing: What the war in Palestine has taught us about journalism

Mail & Guardian

a day ago

One of the most revealing takeaways from the genocide in Gaza has been the profound threat posed to journalism. Even in this era of artificial intelligence and disinformation, truth remains a powerful force. And the most brutal way to silence truth is to eliminate those who report it.
This has been the clear strategy adopted by Israel. A recent
A
On the Ground in South Africa
In 2022, I was approached by the
Cape Town, more than any city in Southern Africa, has consistently demonstrated loud and visible
Just two weeks into the onslaught, on 22 October 2023, I was invited by the Palestinian Solidarity Committee (PSC) to
Since then, my commitment to this issue has only deepened. As an independent journalist and freelancer, I have had the privilege of speaking freely — at protests, on radio, television, and social media — during a time when many employed journalists feared for their jobs. I've used my voice with the hope that it might echo enough to spark accountability. So far, that hope remains unfulfilled.
Yet despite over 600 days of relentless bombardment and destruction, young journalists in Gaza persist. One of the most remarkable examples is nine-year-old
Perhaps the most meaningful solidarity effort in South Africa was the organisation of
From these vigils emerged a WhatsApp group called
Journalists Against Apartheid
, a platform for solidarity, awareness, and resistance among South African media workers.
A Divided Media
The genocide in Gaza has unmasked the stark divide in global journalism. Palestinian journalists have redefined what it means to do this work. Their commitment isn't driven by money or recognition — it is a moral imperative. Despite losing homes, loved ones, and access to basic needs, they continue reporting. They've carried injured children into hospitals, buried colleagues, and dug survivors from rubble — all while documenting the unfolding horror. They appear on our screens, exhausted yet unwavering, embodying what it means to serve truth.
In contrast, Western media has disgraced itself. It has become a factory of bias, Islamophobia, and propaganda. One of the most damaging cases emerged on 14 October 2023 — the viral lie that Hamas had beheaded 40 babies. First shared by Israeli soldiers, the
This misinformation continues. False claims about 'white genocide' in South Africa have also gained traction in U.S. right-wing media circles — echoing Trump-era tactics of distraction and demonisation.
Western journalists have become cheerleaders of empire. Major networks like
The New York Times
led with
Palestinian writer
'A claim is circulated without evidence; Western journalists spread it like wildfire; diplomats and politicians parrot it; a narrative is built; the general public believes it — and the damage is done.'
In response,
citizen journalism
has risen powerfully. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok have become vehicles for truth, elevating voices on the ground. Ordinary people, wearing 'PRESS' vests, risk their lives to document reality. The use of mobile phones makes Israeli atrocities harder to conceal — though the regime has responded with censorship, shadowbanning, and algorithmic suppression.
A Commitment to Truth
In October 2024, Al Jazeera correspondent Youmna El Sayed visited South Africa. Hearing her firsthand account was life-changing. Younger than me, yet infinitely more brave, she described war from the perspective of a mother and journalist.
'My 8-year-old daughter Sireen's biggest fear was surviving alone,' she said.
'Every night she asked us to sleep close together and said, 'Mom, if a rocket hits, let it kill us all so no one is left behind.''
El Sayed spoke of displacement, the stench of decaying bodies, and the total dehumanisation they endured.
'Journalists in Gaza were targeted everywhere: in our homes, in the field, in our cars — with no mercy and no regard for humanitarian laws.'
'Israel barred international journalists from entering Gaza, hoping to hide its crimes. But it underestimated the resilience of Palestinian journalists — continuing to work with no food, no water, and bombed-out offices.'
We all remember the moment veteran journalist Wael Al-Dahdouh cradled the lifeless body of his son Hamza — also a journalist — killed while Wael was reporting. We remember 23-year-old Hossam Shabat, who wrote a letter before his death in April:
'Now I ask you, don't stop talking about Gaza. Don't let the world turn its eyes away. Keep fighting, keep telling our stories — until Palestine is free.'
The death toll among journalists will rise, as the genocide continues. But rather than deterring us, these deaths strengthen our resolve. We remain committed to ethical journalism, to truth-telling, and to bearing witness to injustice.
We will not be silenced. We owe that to those who gave their lives so the world could see.
*This article was first published in Media Review Network on 28 May 2025
Atiyyah Khan is a journalist, activist, cultural worker and archivist. For the past 17 years, she has documented the arts in South Africa. Common themes in her work focus on topics such as spatial injustice, untold stories of apartheid, jazz history and underground art movements.